Ten Days
by comeontwinkletoes
Summary: Toph's 18th birthday is coming and much to her dismay a party is in the works for it. When word gets out Toph becomes upset that is until she finds out her parents are going to attend, she quickly becomes excited too bad they have a secret they don't want her to know about.
1. Day One

Here is my prequel (kind of) to "The One Where Toph Doesn't Want To Go To Sokka's Wedding" which takes place before and after Toph's 18th Birthday party which is mentioned in the final chapter of "The One Where" by Sokka. So I hope you enjoy! This one will hopefully be longer just not sure how long right now. :)

I also changed my username.

hugs and reviews

~comeontwinkletoes

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The story I'm about to tell you is not for the faint of heart…okay I'm totally kidding (or not you'll never know) anyway the story about to tell you is about my birthday and the events that lead up to it and the events that proceeded after it. I am not really good with this whole story telling thing, not like my dear friend Sweetness, but whatever I'll try my best.

"Sok Monkey you are going to lose if you do not hurry up!" I shout at Sokka as I run with the rocks, I know he is far behind even though I can't actually see him, he was always behind, I was faster than a comet.  
"Yeah I am going to lose because you cheat!" Sokka shouts at me and I can't help but laugh manically, he'll never win and I do not cheat.  
"You are only saying I'm cheating because I am winning," I shout at him and of course I try and turn my head towards him and boom I'm falling on the ground.  
"Does that mean I win?" I hear him say from above me; I get on to my knees and hands and throw the rocks toward him causing him to fall, "ouch I take that as a no," he grumbles.  
"You make it so easy for me ya know?" I laugh finally getting back to my feet; I can feel him over head probably making a face.  
"Yeah whatever," his sarcasm is faint, I try not to concentrate on it too much, I however, can't avoid the rumbling in my stomach.  
"So is your sister is making something for dinner, now that she is a 'little wife'"? I ask as we walk towards The Rock, Me and Sokka's favorite hang out spot.  
"She should be, and little wife she and Aang are not married yet, just sort of betrothed," Sokka tells me as we finally reach The Rock. I reach out to touch it, feel it and all its glory.  
"Betrothed, married, what is the difference? They'll end up together in the end no matter what," I shrug, leaning against the rock taking in the nice fresh air and of course the earth.  
"But to answer your question as far as I know she is going to making dinner tonight because it's my dads birthday," Sokka says and I smile, I loved how much he admires his father.  
"That's cool because my birthday is coming up too," I say, not that I actually care about my birthday, "you better have nothing planned Sokka."  
"I can't make any promises," I hear him jump off the rock, "you smell that? Smells like my victory, catch me if you can Toph!"  
I can hear him begin to run away, that sneak I should have expected it, he always tried to cheat me.  
"Yeah whatever Sokka, I will beat you!" and I start run after him.

"There you two are!" its Katara yelling from what I'm sure is the front porch, "your dinner is getting cold and Dad has been here for hours," she huffs.  
Sokka who was breathing heavy comes up from behind me, I can hear his footsteps on the porch stairs, "so-sorry we were racing and we took," puff puff, "the long way home."  
"Just in case you didn't notice I totally creamed him," I smirk following him up the stairs, "so what did you cook for dinner anyway sweetness?" I knew Katara didn't like the nickname and I really could careless.  
"Steak with potatoes and vegetables for Aang and myself," she replies matter-of-factly yum steak and ever since Katara and Aang because betrothed or whatever she had become a vegetarian like him.  
"I'm glad she still considers us carnivores when making dinner," I whisper to Sokka when I catch up with him in the hall.  
"I know, if it was up to Aang we would all be eating vegetables," he whispers back before we enter a room that is filled with a lot of noise.  
"There is my boy," its Sokka's father Hakoda, I know Sokka is happy to see him; I step back a little and try to find my way towards a chair.  
"Oh here Toph let me help you," Katara says putting her hand on my shoulder and although I would love to push her away I don't because I really was having trouble finding my chair.  
After I'm seated we all begin to eat in silence and it's actually a very awkward silence until I start to choke. I begin to pound on the table, my eyes growing huge, from the left of me I can hear a chair scrapping against the floor and someone coming over to help me, but before they could I feel the steak finally go down.  
"I'm good," I cough breathlessly, "I'm good," I repeat lying my fork down on the table, I can't see anyone but I know they are probably all staring at me.  
"So Toph how is the metalbending training going?" Hakoda asks and I'm a little thrown off guard even though I had an instant answer for the question (because I was asked about 5 times a week).  
"It's going well the earthbenders I'm training are doing a very good job at picking it up, Sokka always assits me to keep an eye on them," I smle hoping to move the conversation from me to Sokka, I don't enjoy talking about myself that much.  
"They look great," he answers swallowing whatever had been previously drinking, "as far as I can tell their stances look good."  
I'm thankful for Sokka's answer because I actually have been wondering how my trainee's look while meatalbending, we continue to eat in silence.  
"Well I must get going, it's very nice that the four of you are sharing a house together," Katara's dad says after we are all done eating and having some drinks.  
"Yeah it's great," Katara answers a lot of joy in her voice, "it's great living with my best friend, boyfriend and brother."  
I swear the last bit was sarcasm but its not super noticable to I just ignore it and walk towards my own room, "I have traning tomorrow so I am going to go to sleep, goodnight."  
I walk towards my room and shut the door, the events of this afternoon flooding my memory, maybe it's a secret maybe it's not but there is one thing you need to know about me.  
I am in love with my best friend.


	2. Day Two

Day chapter two/Day Two! :D

This one is super long! Taking up 5 whole pages on my microsoft word, I hope you enjoy it. I made a post on my Tumblr about how it might not add up as a prequel like it's suppose to so if it doesn't I'm letting you know now and I am super sorry!

Hugs and reviews!

~comeontwinkletoes

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_Thump, thump._

The sound I am woken up to.

"Sokka is this completely necessary?" I hear Katara ask Sokka who is apparently making something in the next room over, I roll over and try to cover my head with a pillow it doesn't work.

I throw the blanket off of me and kick out of the bed and head towards Sokka's room which was on the opposite side of mine.

"Yes it is necessary, Suki is coming and until I can find my own place," I stop at the word Suki, my heart falling to the floor; I step back and decide to tip toe back into my room when I run head first into someone.

"No need to sneak around Toph, you do live here," its Aang, my heart's speed begins to decrease when I realize it's just Aang and I'm sure he wouldn't notice my facial expression, "So you heard Suki's coming huh?" or not, I quickly try to move away from him without answering but I don't get very far.

"Toph, you're awake good just in time for Suki to arrive," Sokka says with so much enthusiasm I want to kick him…hard.

It's not that I didn't like Suki, honestly, it's just well…I was always jealous of her and Sokka, I mean I was his best friend and I've learned to accept it but still it hurt to know that's all I would ever be.

"That's so great," I fake smile turning towards the direction of his voice, one thing I could say for Sokka is that although he was smart is really oblivious to a lot of things…my feelings was probably one of them.

"Yup I agree! So Katara are you preparing breakfast for my lovely ladies arrival?" Sokka asks I just make my way to the closest couch to sit down on; Sokka's lack of cooking skills my favorite conversation topic and I didn't want to miss it.

"No Sokka I was thinking how about you cook something?" Katara snaps and I can't help but laugh, I don't stop when I suddenly feel eyes on me.

"Is there something funny about this Toph?" Sokka asks which makes me laugh harder.

"Well duh! Your cooking is terrible; if I was you I would be much nicer to Katara or learn how to cook," I reply putting my arm behind my head getting comfortable, if they did decide to argue about it, it would be for a long time.

"Fine I'll cook but it's just because I like Suki," I gasp at her easy retaliation here I was thinking it would take a few back and forth arguing before she agreed but nope it was an easy, 'okay I'll do it', damn there goes my fun.

"Aw man you guys gave in too easy," I sigh pushing myself off of the couch, "I'm going to go and get dressed," I tell no one in particular and walk into my room shutting the door behind me.

When I am finished getting dressed I lie on my bed for a few minutes before I hear the door push open, "Toph are you okay?" it's Katara, while Sokka wasn't good at reading my feelings, Katara was to the point of me hating her for it.

"I am fine," I snap pushing myself off the bed, "why wouldn't I be fine?" I ask sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'm not sure, you came and left earlier and Aang said you were sneaking around this morning," stupid Aang, he tells this girl absolutely everything, can't trust the avatar with nothing.

"Oh I was fine, just heard a really loud clanging I got scared so I got up to see what it was and I was going to go back to bed and not bother anyone," I answer, she just laughs softly, I guess my answer somewhat amused her.

"Look breakfast is almost done and Suki just got here if you want to come out and join us, I'm sure it won't hurt," Katara says and I can tell she is heading out the door, "oh and by the way try to smile okay?" and just like that I can hear my door shutting again.

I make my way out of my room to the sound of laughing, "And his bear was still alive and kicking! Oh Sokka if you would have seen him you wouldn't have even recognized him," Suki is in the middle of some story and from what I can gather it's about the Earth King and Boscow, his pet bear, and you read that right just bear.

"Oh Toph, welcome back buddy," Sokka says and I can hear everyone turning and standing up, how awkward.

"I was just getting dressed," I tell him, irritability picking up; I was woken up a lot earlier than I wanted to thanks to Sokka himself.

"Well I am very glad you could finally join us," Suki says and I can feel her coming towards me, I open up for a hug because I believe it's what she's coming over to me for, "it is very nice to see you again Toph."

"If I could see you I'd say the same but I guess it's nice to hear you," I tell her meekly just glad to be out of the embrace, "I'm sure Sokka over there is more than excited."

I can tell she's smiling, "Oh I am sure he is! Too bad I won't be here for your birthday-," I hear loud gasps from the other side of the room, I shake my head.

"Eh don't feel bad about it, it's just my birthday no big deal," I tell her, which was exactly how I felt, it was just another day, just another day of me teaching my students how to metalbend.

"Oh alright," she replies quietly, I follow her back to the table, I reach out and try to find myself a seat and much to my dismay Suki helps me…again.

"Thanks," I mumble letting myself get comfortable, before finding my way to my fork and the bowl on the table, I've gotten so used to having to find things with my hands; it had just become a force of habit.

"So Suki, do you have any more amazing stories to share?" Aang asks his voice sounding excited; guess Suki really did have a lot of good stories to share.

"Not really, I'm just really glad to be home for a couple of days," I hear a kiss between her and Sokka being exchanged, I force myself not to gag, I was here with these two couples and I was glad to be blind.

I sit and try to enjoy the rest of my breakfast in silence before I hear Sokka announce, "I am going to take Suki here with me to The Rock so she can watch us practice."  
I grind my teeth at the idea, I didn't need anyone there who wasn't one of my trainee's or my seeing eyes but instead of rejecting the idea I just agree for Sokka's sake, "sure no problem, we leave in 5 minutes." I push myself from the table and head towards the bathing room.

"You need to use your feet affectively, I know it sounds strange but today for training you are going to be wearing bandanas over your eyes so that you can use your feet correctly," I tell them and wait for Sokka to hand out the bandana's, its quiet for a moment and I can't hear Sokka's footsteps, "Sokka the bandana's!" I shouted stomping my foot, the earth rumbled underneath it and I heard a loud thump.  
"Ouch, what was that for?" he grumbles probably rubbing his head or something.  
"It was for not paying attention," I snap beginning to get annoyed, this is why I didn't like other people at my practice, "does everyone have bandana's over their eyes?" I hear a collective yes from my trainees, "we will now begin."

I meet up with Sokka and Suki after practice, they are talking very happily and I'm just wishing they'd stop.  
"Look I'm going to go into town for some lunch," I tell them beginning to walk in a different direction than they house, "don't wait up for me."  
Without hearing their protest I begin to walk away.  
I continue walking until I hear the sound of people in town; it happened very frequently that someone would stop and try to help me whenever I go into town, they weren't aware yet that I was a Master of Metalbending training the police force.  
"Excuse me Miss would you like some help?" the sound of what I assume is an elderly man brings me out of my thoughts, normally I would snap at them and say no, but right now I wasn't in the mood.  
"Of course you may help me," I smile and he takes my hand leading me along the way.  
"You should really invest in a walking stick, they are great for navigation!" the old man suggests and I nod my head smiling.  
"I will consider that thank you," a lot of people in town knew who I was because one of my best friends is in fact the Avatar.  
"So where is it that I can help take you?" he asks, I consider it for a second before answering.  
"I'm trying to go to Republican City Cafe," I smile thoughtfully as I walk in the direction I believe it's in, the old man takes my hand again.  
"I will get you there as quickly as possible," he was truly a nice man and it was nice to have someone take care of me even though I was fully capable of taking care of myself.  
"Well thank you, that would be very nice," we continue on until I hear the rustle and bustle of the café.  
"Miss Bei Fong," the waitress says my name so cheerfully, "it's been a long time since you've come and eaten with us!"  
It really has been a long time, "yeah I know I've been working very hard lately, eat sleep bend is all I do," I smile.  
"Here let me guide you to your favorite table for two?" she asks and I'm ready to say yes when the man answers for me.  
"No I think my job is done, it was a pleasure meeting you Miss. Bei Fong," he says releasing my hand, suddenly I feel sad that he was leaving.  
"Well thank you very much Mr..," but before he can even give me his name he's gone and I'm alone with the waitress again.  
"Here we are," she says once she has gotten me to the table I guess I usually sit in, since I can't see all tables and chairs seem the same to me.

"Thank you," I say once I am finally seated, I never had to deal with menus because I was always read to because I, of course, couldn't read, and "I'll just have a green tea and corn soup thank you."

The lady walks away and I can begin to hear whispering from behind me, "have you heard the rumor about the Bei Fong family in Goaling? According to my son, who works as a guard for the family, the mother Poppy is actually pregnant with another child." My ears perk up at the sound of my family name being mentioned, my heart breaking at the word "pregnant" I start to feel my eyes fill with tears as I continue listening, they obviously weren't aware I was sitting here.

"Really now? Didn't they already have a child, a daughter correct? She was deaf wasn't she? How terrible, she's been gone for 6 years she left when she was 12 so she would be turning 18 now what a shame," another women says, maybe they did notice I was sitting her they just thought I was deaf instead of blind, I don't know why these women would be discussing my families personal life anyway.

"Yeah hopefully the brand new baby doesn't exhibit any sort of disability how horrendous," the first women sneers before taking a sip of tea, I try my hardest not to cause her drink to fall on her lap, that would teach her.

"Miss. Bei Fong here is your tea and your corn soup," I can hear the waitress placing the hot food and drink on to the table, I pull two yuan bills out of my pocket and hand them to her.

"Thank you," I smile before finding my tea cup and taking a drink of the hot tea, wondering if the women heard the waitress say my name.

Luckily for me the women were finished making conversation about my family, they probably did recognize me that's why they started talking about it, stupid gossip, it was just a rumor Toph, I tell myself, just a rumor.

I finish my lunch and make my way out of the café and head back towards the house the words of the women in the restaurant ringing in my head. "Pregnant, another child," keep repeating over and over again in my head.

Were they really replacing me just because I left them all those years ago? It's not like I don't ever see them…come to think of it the last time I saw my mom was last year and she hadn't been pregnant at least not the she told me, I saw her the day Sokka asked me to be his best man one day, what a strange request.

I finally reach the house the sounding of Sokka, Suki, Aang and Katara loudly talking in the living room, I walk inside and I can hear them calling to me but I say nothing instead I walk towards my room and let the door close behind me. I sit down on my bed and let the tears fall.

I wake up hours later to the sound of knocking at my door and the soothing words of Katara; I guess I had a mom, in her.

"Toph are you alright?" she says outside the door, I slid off the bed my face sticky from sweat and tears to open the door.

"I'm fine seriously just tired," I tell her lying, if I could see she would probably be giving me a concerned look.

"Oh alright, look we are about to eat dinner if you want to join us," for once I am more than glad that she isn't questioning me when I lied about what I was feeling, I nod my head and follow her out the door.

"Toph finally, hey look Suki and Katara are going to go out tomorrow so I will be fully attentive tomorrow at practice," Sokka says and I am very glad about it, I need him to be my seeing eyes and if he is giggling with his girlfriend he can't be.

"Great, they will be having a test tomorrow so I will need you to help me evaluate," I tell him trying to find a seat I feel Katara's arms on my shoulder I just shrug it off, "I'm fine."

I can smell the food and my mouth starts to water, although I did eat at the café for lunch, after metalbending for so long each day I become hungry really quickly.

We sit and eat in silence, I'm surprised that Suki and Sokka aren't talking about something, or even Aang and Katara who are both Airbending and Waterbending masters, they teach children while I teach adults.

"I'm going to go to bed," I finally hear Suki say pushing her chair back, I wince at the screeching sound, I hear another chair pull out beside her.

"Me as well," Sokka says and I hear their plates being put into the water basin, I get ready to get up myself when I hear Katara and Aang get up.

"Toph, do you think you would be able to clean the dishes?" Katara asks and I nod my head yes, it was a little hard for me but I was able to do it.

"Sure no problem, goodnight," I hear them place their dishes in the sink and then I can hear their footsteps leaving the room.

I quickly wash the dishes and head outside the room, I had ended up falling asleep earlier so it would be awhile before I could find myself sleepy so I head out the door and just sit on the porch letting the air blow through my hair.

I just needed a night to let everything I had learned today sink in, hopefully there was no other secrets I didn't know about.


	3. Day Three

Here's chapter three :) I hope you guys enjoy! I hope I can get more readers and I love the ones I already have! So yup!

~hugs and reviews;

comeontwinkletoes

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"You need to make sure you have a perfect stance like so," I bend my knees and reach out preparing to bend the metal I can hear my trainees behind me breathing heavy as they watch me do what I do best, bend.  
Once I finish the demonstration I can hear them gasp in amazement, or maybe out of jealousy, I smirk and turn around, "we are going to take a short break and when you come back you will have a test."

The group begins to talk all at once as I walk away and head towards Sokka, "so how are they looking out there?" I ask him, I told Aang I keep him around to use as my eyes but it was just a lie, well a partial lie, I kept him around because I liked his company and the sound of his voice.  
"They are all looking pretty good, believe it or not the one doing the best is Kikgomi," he says and I'm not all surprised, I could tell just by the way she talks to me about the bending that she was really into it.  
"She's a really good earthbender," I reply smiling, not only was she very good she was also the only girl in my troop.  
I push myself off The Rock when I realize time has passed by, I could feel the air beginning to cool meaning it was close to evening.  
"Alright everyone it is time for your test," I cheer with malice, I love being a teacher.

Once everyone is gone I wait for Sokka who is probably doing god knows what behind The Rock, when I hear footsteps behind me.  
"Master Toph," it's Kikgomi, I turn in her direction and smile, I was nice to my students AFTER practice.  
" Yes Kikgomi," it was nice hearing happiness mixed with exhaustion in her voice, it meant she was working hard and she liked what she was doing.  
"Master Sokka told us you wouldn't be holding practice this Friday because of your birthday," she says quickly probably thinking I would yell at her.  
"First off Sokka needs to stop with that 'Master' crap second," I pause once I realize, that asshole lied to me, he was planning something for my birthday, "no we will not be having practice this Friday, if you will excuse me." I begin to turn towards The Rock.  
"Alright Master Toph, have a good evening!" she shouts but I'm already far away from her. I hear whistling coming from The Rock, I stomp my foot and throw the earth in the direction of the whistling "Hey what the hell?!" he shouts, perfect I caught him.  
"What did I tell you about my birthday?" I ask balling my hands into fists over and over.  
"That you don't want to get drunk with me," he answers breathless and disgruntled, I reach up squeezing him harder with the rock, "okay!" he gasps completely breathless, "you said no party!"  
I release him from the grip, I hear him fall to the ground panting loudly, "so then why did Kikgomi come up to me and ask if practice was really cancelled Friday?" I ask beginning to feel frustrated.  
"Because Katara is planning a party for you," he says cheerfully, I know he's lying, I begin to raise the earth again when says, "no no I lied it was me!"  
I let it go, "do you ever listen to anything I say?" I snap kicking my foot, "actually I know the answer to that question: no."  
Lucky for Sokka I was keeping my cool even though I wanted so badly to yell and kick him.  
"Look I'm sorry, Katara came up with the idea and I couldn't help but agree," he explains but I'm only half listening, "I know you are mad but," he pauses I move my head towards him, "your parents are coming."

The sentence rings in my head on the whole walk home, my parents, if my parents were planning on coming maybe that rumor about my mom being pregnant was just that, a rumor.

We apparently reach the house because I hear Sokka stop, "look Toph keep this party thing a secret between you and I okay? I don't need Katara knowing you know because that would be seriously awkward," Sokka was really thoughtful when it came to Katara's feelings and I couldn't help but smile about it.

"Sure, of course," I say even though deep inside it really did anger me that they had been planning a party for me, I really didn't need one, I couldn't do what they do at parties…like look at decorations, dance, it was hard for me.

"Great!" Sokka cheers picking me up into a hug, I feel my face flush as I lean into his neck, he smelt like sweat and some sort of lavender soap.

Sokka pushes the door open and I can hear Suki welcome him into the house, "Aang and Katara went out to lunch isn't that so sweet?" she gushes probably not even noticing me, even though I was wearing a huge hat.

"That is so sweet but I have a special night planned for you since you have to leave again tonight," the first part of his sentence sounds happy but his tone drops when he remembers she was leaving on the last train out tonight.

"Great," I hear them kiss and then I hear the seat cushion squish again, "oh Toph I didn't even notice you, how was your metal bending practice?" she asks probably just to make conversation not because she was actually interested about what I did today.

"It was great, my earthbenders are getting really good, almost done training them actually," which wasn't a lie, I only had about two more weeks with this group before I was going to get another one and to be honest the idea of it was very bittersweet.

"That's great Toph really you are super amazing," Suki gushes and I just smile, she can't really mean that can she? I have no idea what to say back to her so I nod my head and reply, "you too," before heading into my room.

I leave my room about an hour later to find the house completely empty, I don't hear any words so I just hold my breath and bother not to shout to no one. I walk into the kitchen and start to feel for things hoping maybe Katara made something and I just had to find it, I was able to cook, just need some assistance. Finally I feel around on the counter sticking my hand into something warm and soupy, I pick the bowl up and smell it, "yum corn soup."

I grabbed the bowl and sat it down on the table, turning back around to try and find a spoon, it was a little tricky but I would never admit to not being able to do something, I wanted to live on my own eventually you know?

I sit and enjoy my soup when I hear the door open, Aang and Katara come in trying to keep things quiet, I wasn't good with time seeing as I couldn't see when it was morning or night, but I had a feeling it was late enough for me to maybe be asleep.

"No need to sneak around you two, you live here," I mimic Aang pushing my chair back; I had finished my warm soup so if they wanted the room to themselves they could have it for all I cared.

"Oh no Toph, we erm weren't trying to sneak around," Katara lies quickly but even though I could hear right through it.

"I wouldn't lie to me if I was you," I mumble putting the bowl of soup in the water basin, "I can always tell when someone is lying,"

I leave them to collect their thoughts as I head outside to relax on the porch, I loved being outside and if I could live outside for the rest of my life I would.

I start to stir when I hear footsteps coming up the stairs, I quickly shook myself awake realizing I was still outside; I rubbed my head trying to figure out who could possibly be outside at this hour when I realized it must have been Sokka.

"What are you doing out here?" he asks me and I just shrug sitting up, I didn't even realize I fell asleep.

"The moon was keeping my company like you always say," I answer him, I didn't actually intend on falling asleep outside.

"Aw yeah Princess Yue is the best company," Sokka says and I can feel him sitting next to me, if you didn't know he knew the moon you'd think he was crazy.

"Yup too bad I can't see her," I sigh before turning my attention towards Sokka, "so how did everything go?" I ask and he himself sighs.

"It went well, sad she's gone again but I guess it gives me more time with you," he knocks my shoulder and I lean over, "but she did do that break up thing again."

I laugh and quickly try to get myself to stop I'm sure he was glaring at me, "I'm sorry Sokka but after you get 'broken' up with 5 times it totally begins to lose it's meaning."

Every time Suki would leave to travel she would give Sokka permission to date whoever she wanted when he was gone, which he took as a break up, but Sokka never did it, he always stayed pretty true to her. Which I guess I was okay with, I had already got used to the idea of him being with Suki let alone him going and dating someone else, I think that would kill me.

"Whatever," he mumbles we are quiet for a few moments before he says, "hey whatever happened to Duke? Weren't you guys dating?" I try and not laugh at his face but I can't help it.

"We broke up a long time ago because he tried to take advantage of my lack of seeing, I caused his house to cave in because of it…we haven't talked since," I smile proud of what I did, nobody ever should underestimate the blind girl, it has its consequences.

"Way to go you," Sokka laughs and then with a serious tone says, "Well if you ever want I would be more than happy to be your wingman."

"Not gonna happen because I love you," I say immediately covering my mouth, that wasn't supposed to be said aloud.

"What?" he asks, my face burns red, he had to have heard what I said and was just playing dumb how embarrassing.

"I said 'not going to happen because I have you,'" I stumble on my words, what did because I have you even mean?

"Oh okay it sounded, er, like you said something else but maybe I was hearing things," he says and I wonder if his face is as red as mine was, I really do say stupid stuff sometimes.

We both just lie there quietly, him looking up at the stars, me glad to have him there, in a way it made up for the birthday secret.

"Sokka I need to tell you something," I begin getting ready to tell him about the pregnancy rumor when I hear the sound of snoring, the butterflies in my stomach begin to fly away when I realize he's asleep, "I guess I'll tell you in the morning."

And instead of moving to go in my room I just close my eyes and lie next to him letting myself drift into sleep.


	4. Day Four

Here's Day Four! :) Trying to keep a little space between the chapters just to see if I get more readers but here's the next chapter and I will hopefully have Chapter Five/Day Five up probably Sunday or Monday night.

Keep calm and ship Tokka :)

Hugs and reviews

~comeontwinkletoes

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I wake up to the sound of loud birds my back sore from sleeping on the porch, but through the pain I'm also smiling. I can feel Sokka's arm around my waist and without thinking I reach out and stroke his hair.

He moves around a bit letting out a small moan and I pull his arm off of me, although lying here with him made me happy it was wrong.

It takes me a few minutes to get up when pushing myself up I feel a pillow underneath my foot, "where did this pillow come from?" I whisper kicking it with my foot before realizing it was probably Sokka who put it under my head, he did sleep out here a lot under the moon.

I walk into the house and thankfully it's completely silent meaning no one was awake but me, I feel the walls until I get to the door that I know is mine, I slide it open and step into my room falling onto the bed not even worrying about the blankets and let myself fall asleep once again.

When I wake up about 2 hours later my whole back is drenched with sweat, I smile at the fact and then get up anyway. I gather my clothes and my gear getting ready to head to the bathroom when I decide to ease drop on the conversation in the living room.

"Now that Suki has left maybe you'll have time to actually help me get the decorations for Toph's birthday party Friday night," Katara says and I can hear the water in the sink turning off.

I roll my eyes, why do I need decorations at this party I can't even SEE.

"She doesn't need decorations Katara she can't see them," Sokka commented which makes me smile; at least he had enough common sense to tell Katara not to get decorations.

"I guess you're right…I just want everything to be perfect for her," Katara sighed opening and shutting cabinets, I hear something steam and I decide to finally leave my room.

"Good morning everyone," I sang as I walked out into the living room, I was in a pretty happy mood because I had woken up with Sokka's arm around me (I petty thing to be happy about I suppose but what the hell.)

"Morning Toph," Katara says barely audible before taking a sip of something, I head towards the table stepping on a shoe in the process.

"Stupid shoes, don't know why they even exist," I mumble rubbing my own foot that was pretty rough and scaly, just how I liked it.

"They exist because some people don't like their feet looking like rocks," Katara snaps picking the shoe up off the floor must have been her shoe.

"I don't know why all feet should feel like mine do," I smile sticking my feet out for all of them to see, I suddenly feel fingers on them and I kick out hard.

"Ouch, I should know better than to tickle your feet," Sokka laughs and I smile I loved when he messed with me, "what's the plan for training today?"

"We are going on a field trip," I say getting of the couch feeling hungry; I could smell something but I can't figure out what it is.

"Great," Sokka cheers, "I'm going to go get dressed I guess I'll meet you out here in 30 minutes," I hear his footsteps leave the room.

"So I was thinking today after you get done with training we'd go to the spa," Katara suggests placing food on a plate in front of me, I reach for the fork and start to eat, yum rice pancakes.

"Ugh, you know how I don't like that girl stuff," I snicker taking a bite out of my cake; the last thing I wanted to do was go to a spa.

"Come on please Toph we haven't done anything together in so long I'm beginning to forget everything about you," she whines and I sigh, I did miss spending time with Katara I didn't have many friends after all.

"Fine meet me and Sokka at The Rock after practice," I order wanting nothing more than to finish my breakfast in peace.

"Great! Think of it as an early birthday present," Katara cheers kissing my forehead, I smile up at her, normally that would have been awkward but it was her after all.

"Oh before you leave to do whatever you do, I have to ask where is the tea?" I ask feeling for a cup that was empty in front of me.

"Oh it's right there," Katara says probably pointing to something, I give her an annoyed look before reaching to point at my eyes, "oh my god, I have been forgetting about you," she cries a few moments later I hear tea being pored into my glass.

"Thanks Katara," I smile grabbing the hot cup, "I'm sure I could have found it based off the heat but I just didn't want to burn my hand."

Katara huffs and leaves the room, leaving me behind to eat and drink my tea on my own, I hated being alone because the thoughts of my parents seemed to swirl my head, just as I start to go crazy with my thoughts I hear someone clear their throat behind me.

"Are you ready to go?" It's Sokka and once again I am glad to be in his presence, I turn towards his voice dropping my fork on the table.

"Yup just have to go put on my armor, its real meatelbending time."

I wait for my trainees to get quiet before I announce our plans for today, "today we are going to be taking a field trip," they all start to whisper amongst themselves, I stomp on the floor and the earth shakes causing their whispering to stop, "there will be no talking right now you are going to listen."

"We are going to a full metal building, which is a factory, there will be doors you can bend, anything that is metal is bendable and I was given permission to use as I please," I instruct and they say nothing, "each one of you will also face a test, in a metal cage to see if you can break through it." Now I hear gasps and more whispers I let them whisper as I walk towards Sokka.

"How are their facial expressions?" I ask him before we get ready to leave for the factory.

"They look terrified even Kikgomi," he admits much to my surprise, I was hoping they wouldn't be terrified we'd been working for this.

"Alright," I shout, "let us get going," I begin to walk past them Sokka next to me and we head towards the factory.

"Surprisingly enough Boden did the best," Sokka says and I can hear him flipping through his notepad, I was glad to hear that any of my trainee's did well it made me feel good as a teacher.

"From the sound and feel of it they all did pretty well," I say proudly crossing my arms, Sokka clears his throat.

"Except for one person," he begins and before he is able to continue I hear someone behind me.

"Master Bei Fong," it's Kigomi and she sounds pretty perplexed and sad, I give Sokka a 'please leave' look before turning towards Kigomi.

"Yes Kigmoi what can I help you with?" I try to smile, during class I made damn sure to make myself look like a hard ass but after class my students were more than welcome to talk to me like a friend.

"Well I just wanted to tell you I was sorry I wouldn't be making it to your party tomorrow night," her voice sounds so sad and also very far away, I knew her mind wasn't invested in bending today I was just not sure why.

"That's more than okay," I tell her, which was more than true, no reason to have a party anyway, "is there something else you want to discuss?"

She hesitates before saying, "yeah my sister is missing and we have no idea where she could have gone," her voice cracks and I begin to understand why she was so out of it today.

"Has she ran away before?" I ask beginning to feel really concerned, I used to run away a lot but my parents never knew.

"Yes once or twice but it was always to the basement of our home," she tells me and I can tell she is crying.

"Any other places…maybe somewhere that plays music, somewhere she feels comfortable," I suggest, I always went with the badger moles or to fight as "The Blind Bandit" my good ol' days.

"Oh…she couldn't possibly you see my sister is deaf," I feel my heart skip ten thousand beats at the word deaf, I know how it feels to be defined by their disabilities like I had been.

"Oh, that makes things a little difficult doesn't it?" I ask slowly beginning to feel sad myself about her missing.

"Yes but we'll find her, we always do," she finally says and I want to reach out to her but before I could she's gone and I'm just standing there feeling like an idiot.

"Are you okay?" Its Sokka coming up behind me, I turn around and for some reason I want to just fall into his arms but I don't.

"Yeah I'm okay, we better go, I'm suppose to meet Katara for a spa day," I sigh not wanting to really do anything anymore, I was becoming lazy, actually maybe I just didn't want to do anything involving a spa.

"That's right, well let's go," Sokka remembers and we leave the factory behind.

"So are you excited for your birthday tomorrow?" Katara asks me as we wait for are musses to come in.

"No, I mean it's just 18 years old, haven't we learned that age isn't important?" I start my ranting, "I mean I was the Blind Bandit when I was 12 years old and Aang saved the world at 12, meaning age is not important."

Katara sits there in silence contemplating what I've said before answering, "I understand that Toph but sometimes its just good to relax and also to celebrate one another," her response is so thoughtful and I start to feel bad about my negativity of the whole party thing.

"I guess you're right, are we just having dinner?" I ask even though I know the answer to the question, she obviously wouldn't tell me so it was nice to hear her lie.

"Yeah just dinner, an intimate dinner between the four of us," Katara says and I just pretend to believe her.

"Oh okay sounds…nice," I lie smiling at her, I'm not sure if she's smiling back but I'll just hope she is.

"You seem so against birthdays," she begins and I feel myself let out a sigh, time to explain more of my life story.

"Well parties at the Bei Fong household weren't just parties for one person, it was a party for everybody just one of the upsides to being a privileged family," I start flashing back to when I was a young girl, "the only party I ever had that I actually enjoyed was my sixth birthday and that was because I was barely at the party, that was the first time I worked with the badger moles." I laugh at the thought but Katara doesn't I frown.

"And they didn't even notice you were gone? It was your birthday how could they not notice you missing?" She asks sounding concerned and I start to laugh some more, a dry laugh.

"Notice me missing? No…I'm sure they did they had guards watching after me like I was a rare diamond because of my disability, but when it came to their parties well things were different," I thought resenting my parents for everything they did to me, well the way they treated me because I was blind…while a small part of me still missed their voices.

"Oh," Katara whispers before saying, "well in the water tribe we only celebrate two different ages, 12 for girls and 13 for boys."

I was just about ready to ask why when I heard the musses come into the room, "okay who is ready for a massage?"

After our spa day we decide to go and get dinner together, it was true what she said, it had been a really long time since we hung out just us two.

"So how is being a teacher?" I ask Katara once we are seated at the restaurant, I can hear the words of people sitting next to me.

"It's been great, not too many waterbenders here but there are enough; I hope to move once Aang and I are married though…to somewhere near the water tribe," she admits and I can't help but feel a little sad, they would be married sooner than I thought and then be gone.

"It won't be for awhile Toph don't worry," Katara says sensing my feelings, she was really good at that.

"Yeah I know, I'm not worried," I lied, I gulped and we sat in silence waiting for the waitress to come and ask about our orders.

"I'm so sorry it took awhile what can I get you guys this evening?" the women asks in a chipper tone, I try to copy it.

"I will have green tea and corn soup with white rice," I say trying to sound happy but I feel it come off the wrong way, luck for me I couldn't see the lady's face to tell if it was in fact rude.

"I will have green tea as well and I would also like salmon with rice," Katara say and the woman is gone not long after.

I hunch as I wait for the girl to get back although my posture wasn't super bad, I always felt the need to hunch because what else would I do?

"So tomorrow you are going to be going out with Sokka," Katara begins and I instantly feel myself sit up straight, oh crap I'm sure she noticed, "and then you'll come home, I'll do your hair and makeup for dinner."

Yeah dinner my ass, I think to myself as I hear the waitress pour more tea into my glass, "sounds like a great day," I try my best to smile before picking up my tea cup that I quickly sit back down, contrary to popular belief hot tea wasn't the best way to drink tea.

"It should be amazing," and I can tell she's smiling probably happy she was going through the whole party thing.

We finish eating dinner and head back to the house when I feel Katara stop and turn towards me, "I really hope you have a great birthday Toph, seriously," I just tilt my head up in her direction and smile.

"I will Katara," I assure her reaching to grab her hand, "with you guys I know I will," I squeeze her hand before we start to walk into the house again.

"There you guys are, see Aang I told you they didn't get lost," Sokka says and I feel myself flush, sometimes Sokka gave me mixed feelings and I hated it.

"Of course we didn't get lost, I know my way around here like the back of my hand," I joke giving them a smirk, "I think Twinkle toes was just upset because Katara wasn't home yet."

"Whatever Toph, it's late Katara are you ready for bed?" Aang asks Katara and I'm sure there is something implied in the question I just ignore it for the sake of my innocent thoughts.

"Of course, goodnight Sokka and goodnight Toph I had a great day," she gives me a quick hug before heading up the stairs after Aang. I begin to walk towards Sokka who I imagine was still sitting on the porch.

"What are you looking at?" I ask hoping he'd explain to me what he see's, not going to lie I love when he does that.

"I am looking at the lovely moon and there are some stars up there too shining very brightly," he explains and there is such in awe in his voice he sounds like a young boy again, I fight my want to reach out and rub his face, Toph he is your best friend and he has a girlfriend so stop.

"It sounds amazing," I say trying to match the awe he had in his voice but I fail, if there was something other than Sokka's face I wish I could see it would be the stars and the moon.

"It's one of the most breath taking things in the world really," he says yawning, "I'm going to get some sleep, you should too birthday girl we got a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Yeah I know, goodnight Sokka," the words I love you hit my lips but I let it go, I let it go every time I want to say it something's are always better left unsaid.


	5. Day Five

Here it is chapter five! I hope you guys enjoy it! Not much to say except I did sort of hit a bit of writers block but I think I am good for right now.

hugs and reviews

~comeontwinkletoes

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"Get up!" someone shouts in my ear, I nearly fall off the bed I am so startled by the sudden out burst when I realize it's just Sokka.

"Get out," I grumble turning to block him out not that it would work I could only hear his voice.

"No it's your birthday, Katara has already made breakfast and we have a long day ahead of us," Sokka says and for a second I think he's gone and I'm able to relax but before I know it he's picking me up off my bed.

"Sokka you ass," I snap trying to wiggle free of his grip but he's strong, a lot stronger than I thought he was.

"Hey you wouldn't get up willingly so I had to help you," he laughs and I just let myself relax giving up.

"Happy Birthday!" Katara shouts running over to where Sokka was holding me, he sets me down and I am trampled by Katara.

"Thanks," I smile as she releases me from the hug; she takes my hand and leads me near the table.

"So of course for your birthday I made you wheat pancakes, we have some syrup, eggs and some meat," she helps me to sit down and I hear a plate being placed in front of me, the smells are glorious.

"It smells amazing Katara thank you," I smile before reaching for my chopsticks and picking up my food.

"There is also jade tea if you'd like some," Katara says and I nod my head, I can hear her pouring it the steam hitting my face.

"So are you ready for today?" Sokka asks between bites of food, I hear him start to choke a little bit and I laugh.

"Yeah I guess," I laugh shrugging my shoulders I was actually in the mood to either bend or sleep but whatever.

"Great, we leave at dawn," Sokka says and I can hear him standing up, it had to be later than dawn didn't it?

"Sokka dawn was a long time ago," Aang corrects him and I laugh loudly Katara joining in.

"Whatever," Sokka snaps and is gone from the room. As much as I loved Aang and Katara it was always a little awkward for me being alone in the room with just them two.

I sit my fork down, "well this was an amazing breakfast Katara thank you," I say as I push my chair back from the table.

"Of course Toph," Katara says and I can hint a smile in her voice before I head over into my room to get ready for my day out with Sokka.

"Excuse me," Sokka says to the guy sitting near us who was playing the guitar, "do you mind if I use that? It's my friend's birthday here and I'd love to play her a song." I feel my face burn, Sokka doesn't know how to play guitar…he doesn't even sing well.  
"Sure go right ahead," he says to Sokka and then looks at me (I think don't hold it against me if not) "Happy Birthday."  
"Thank you," I say smiling before I hear Sokka let out a breath.  
"This song is called 'Toph's Birthday'," he tells whoever will listen, me I suppose, before he starts playing something out of tune.  
"Today is my best friend Toph's birthday, she was once known as the blind bandit, greatest earth bender ever, so great she is becoming a metal bender oh oh oh," he continues to play but I reach out and slap his hand off the guitar strings.  
"Stop you're embarrassing," I joke probably blushing bright red, I was smiling from ear to ear, I wonder if he could see it?  
"Oh darn it, thanks for letting me borrow it man," he says to the man we were sitting next to, he grunts before I hear Sokka shoot up from his seat, he reaches out to take my hand, "we have some more adventures to do before you have to go get dolled up."

He pulls me up and then guides me to wherever we are going, I wasn't sure about any place he was taking me today and I was okay with it, I couldn't imagine my birthday any other way, spending time with him and seeing my parents again after so long, even with the baby rumor going around…  
"Toph are you okay?" Sokka asks I can tell he stopped, I stop short before running into him.  
"Yeah I'm fine, just excited about seeing my parents," I tell him feeling anxious all over again, I wonder if he was smiling.  
"Great! See you probably wouldn't have seen them if it wasn't for this awesome guy," he laughs, I always said I hated when he talked in third person but it was actually kind of cute.  
"I don't see any awesome guy," I joke and wait for him to say something, he was probably thinking of a witty comment.  
"Well then you must be blind…oh wait," he stops and laughs, "just kidding, I don't forget anymore." He tried to sound as if he was kidding but I didn't believe him, after 6 years he still sometimes forgot I was blind, it was an ongoing thing with us.  
"Sure," I smile before we start to walk again, "so where are we going anyway? I'm not good with surprises."  
"You'll see," he says before adding, "with your feet."  
Hmm…it's something earth like, I wonder what it could possibly be.  
We continue to walk a little more when we finally stop and something about it seems so familiar, "where are we?" I ask, we went to lunch, went shopping (Sokka loves to shop so he bought me a jumper, he says it's black with gold stuff on it, I don't care about colors…obviously) so now there is only one place we could possibly be.  
"The Rock," he says and I hear his pants ruffle meaning he was jumping on the rock, I was able to feel his hand and he helped me up, "it's not like you know but the sun is starting to set and it looks amazing."  
"Maybe you could describe it?" I ask I loved when he described stuff to me; no one else could do it like he could.  
"Okay, the clouds, those are those fluffy white things in the blue sky, those are now a peachy pink color and it looks like this fluffy candy stuff they sell on the street and then there is the sun, it's a huge ball of yellowish, orange, it's hiding behind the trees and it looks extra orange," he stops and I just stare at the emptiness, this was a nice way to end my day, just me, Sokka and The Rock.  
"It sounds really nice," I say and I can feel him grab my hand, startled I want to pull it away but I don't I let him hold it.  
"I have to tell you, you look really beautiful in this light," he says and I pull my hand away, although I loved to hear it he probably shouldn't have said it.  
"Thank-thanks," I mumble my face was extremely hot now, I can hear him breath and I could tell he wasn't lying about how I looked.  
"No problem," he says with a sense of hurt in his voice, maybe he was hurt by me releasing his hand, I wasn't sure, "look we better get going." I can hear him grunt as he pushes himself up, I follow suite and jump off the rock before him, I hear him fall close behind.  
"Yeah you are right we should go before Katara chops my head off," both are moods are drastically changed as we walk in the direction of the house.

"There you finally are!" Katara shouts a hint of annoyance in her voice, "I was sure you got lost or something," something about the tone of her voice now worried me a little, she sounded anxious.

"No we didn't get lost nor did we get side tracked," Sokka says the sadness still in his voice, maybe it was guilt, I wouldn't know because I couldn't see his face.

I want to say something to him, anything but Katara grabs me and pull me forward, "so we need to get you in the bath, get your dress on and then do hair and makeup, I was thinking a half-down, half-up hair do," Katara babbles on but I'm not really listening I'm thinking about Sokka and about my parents and how close I was to seeing them.

"Okay you look amazing!" Katara gushed and I was going to have to take her word for it, I didn't really care about how I looked but it was nice to know I looked good.

"Thanks," I blush and I just stand there running my fingers through my hair remembering when I used to wear it like this when I was a young girl.

"Look I need to tell you something," Katara begins and I drop my hand from my head and just listen to her voice, "we aren't just having dinner tonight."

I stop and try to make the most shocked face, "really? What does that mean we are doing?"

"You'll find out," Katara sings as we head out of the house and I start to wonder what happened to Sokka and Aang, "the boys should already be there," it's as if she was reading my mind.

We walk out the door and start to head into town, although we did live a little bit out in the country side, the city was close enough to get to just walking and the community center was pretty close as well.

Instead of walking to the place we instead hope into a carriage and it takes us to where we need to go.

Katara and I get out of the carriage and I can hear a muffled sound of music in front of me, I began to feel anxious, I was gonna hear my parents voice for the first time in years.  
"Toph, we need to talk," I hear Sokka's voice suddenly, his tone sounds desperate I feel Katara's grip on my shoulders tighten.  
"Sokka whatever it is you have to talk about can wait," Katara says with clinched teeth, she begins to lead me forward.  
"Katara it's really important, they aren't here," I feel my heart crack at the last words of the sentence, of course they weren't there.  
"Who isn't here Sokka?" Katara demands with a shaky voice and I can tell she's lying, she knows what he's talking about.  
"Your parents, they aren't here," he says again and this time I can tell he is looking right at me, "I'm really sorry Toph."  
I'm sure the pain is apparent but I just try to smile, "it's alright," I say I was lying through my teeth and trying hard not to cry, "It's totally alright." I turn toward Katara, "let's go inside."

Silently we all walk into the room, I'm hit with the smell of delicious food and the sound of music and people talking, "Happy Birthday Toph!" they shout and I'm immediately smothered with hugs, I wasn't sure who was who but I didn't really care the only thought on my mind was the thought of me not hearing my parents voice, not feeling their arms around me.

About an hour later I sit off to the side stirring a bowl of soup over and over again before deciding to take a walk. I leave the party area as best as I could without getting noticed, if they were as oblivious as my parents were I should be fine with my escape.

I walked for awhile just letting my head clear when I decided to sit down on a grassy area and just think.  
I lay there alone for about 30 minutes when I hear the sound of footsteps approach me.  
"Everyone is freaking out about you not being at the party Katara was panicking and I said I would go and look for you and here we are," Sokka's voice soothes my head, I feel him sit down next to me probably leaning back, "good evening princess Yue you are looking well tonight," he says to the moon and I smile.  
"Look I'm really sorry about the whole parents thing I swear I didn't know until tonight," He reassures me squeezing my shoulder; I just smile up at him.  
"I try to be so strong about everything but my parents…they are my one weakness," I admit feeling vulnerable, I hated when I felt like this.  
"There is nothing wrong with having a weakness Toph, its okay to not be so strong all the time," he says it so softly I can barley hear it.

"Sometimes it honestly feels like they aren't even alive anymore…at least not my dad and sometimes it feels better that way," I instantly regret it the moment it falls from my lips and want to immediately take it back, how could I be so stupid? "Oh Sokka I'd didn't…I shouldn't have," but I feel him shooing me off.  
"It's fine really," although he says its fine I can tell in voice that it's not and I instantly want to reach out and make him feel better.  
"No it's not fine I'm insensitive and I shouldn't have said it," I say feeling guilt in the pit of my stomach _Toph you are so stupid_, I think to myself as we sit in silence.  
"I've talked to you about this before but when I think of my mom I can't even see her or remember what her voice sounds like all I can see it Katara," he admits gloomily and I remember hearing it from him before, we bonded over parents often.  
"I just want to hear him say that he's proud of everything that I have done and that he really underestimated my abilities I guess it's too much to ask," I sigh, damn did my parents make me feel vulnerable.  
"Well you know I'm always going to be here for you and so will Katara and Aang," he starts and I suddenly have this urge to kiss him, I reach up and find his face, "Toph…,"  
But I cut him off with a kiss, it's a long slow kiss an unexpected kiss and as bad as I want to get more into it I push him away, "Sokka I'm so sorry," I mumble pulling myself off the floor I hear him shuffle up as well.  
"Toph it's okay," he reassures me but I don't think so, I think of Suki and how she is gone and I instantly regret what I have done.  
"Let's just forget it happened and head back to the party," I suggest as we make our way back, I hear him laugh quietly.  
"Agreed," he says and we continue on.

A little later I sit on a chair trying to enjoy listening to everything going on in the party, the music is great and I can hear everyone cheering on Katara and Twinkletoes as they dance to the music. Finally the music starts to slow down and I can feel someone's hand grabbing mine, "come one let's dance," it's Sokka, I try to keep myself planted on the chair.  
"No Sokka I can't, it's really hard for the blind girl to dance," I cry trying really hard to get him to let me go, it doesn't work.  
"It will be okay, here you can stand in my feet," he suggests and finally I give in standing up. He pulls me towards the dance floor and lifts me on to his feet, the way I would dance with my father at parties, it was a rare occasion but it still happened.  
He puts his hand on my waist and pulls me close, I put mine over his neck, I breathe in his scent; he sure as hell made it hard for me to remind myself that he is just my best friend and nothing more.  
"I was thinking," he starts in my ear I don't lift my head off his shoulder, "maybe we could go and see your parents."  
The suggestion throws me off guard and then makes me go duh, why didn't I ever think of that?  
"Oh but what about the Metalbending? I'm always so busy," I trail off remembering why I didn't ever go, this week had been easy next week wouldn't I had officer training for myself.  
"I'm sure you could take an extra break, you just have to figure out a date to go," he whispers and I feel my heart contract again, he was really smart this guy.  
"Sounds like an amazing idea," I muse leaning back into his neck for the dance, I wonder if I was going to remember this day or if I would suppress the memory of not seeing my parents from my mind.


	6. Day Six

Day Six;

Not much to say really just I hope you guys enjoy it!

hugs and reviews

~comeontwinkletoes

* * *

I wake up at I don't know what time the next day feeling energized and ready to go and confront my family. I take a bath, get dressed and head to Sokka's room.

I push his door open and say "get up," loudly, I can hear him ruffle and move a little bit before saying "what are you doing in here? Oh my god we didn't do anything last night did we?!" I roll my eyes as best as I could before dismissing his apparent fear.  
"No we did not do something together but you told me we'd go see my parents and since I have today off I want to go so get dressed," I tell him before shutting the door, hard.  
I'm able to hear him mumble about how he didn't really mean today and how I was a pushy girl; I just ignored it and sat on the couch.  
I tap my foot on the floor as I wait for Sokka to come out of his room, when I finally hear a door creak open I jump up.  
"Where are you headed to this early?" it's Katara asking with a yawn, I'm not sure how early it was but I know it was too early for her to be awake, I can tell she is heading towards the kitchen probably preparing tea or something.  
"Sokka promised to go with me to see my parents today," I tell her just as I hear another door open and loud footsteps come out of it.  
"Yeah and as of right now I am regretting that decision, the sun isn't even out yet!" he whines loudly walking past me, "Katara what the hell are you wearing? Or not wearing I should say."  
By the context of Sokka's voice I can only imagine what Katara's wearing and by wearing I mean probably not wearing.  
"It's nothing," she says shyly but I'm sure she is blushing; it was probably only Aang's shirt.  
"You know what forget I asked I don't want to know," Sokka says when I hear the door open again, but this time I can hear the sound of the wind outside.  
"Good morning guys," it's Aang, he woke up very early everyday so I guess it was too damn early for Sokka to be awake, I'm able to hear a smack as Aang gives Katara a kiss.  
"Come on Toph let's get this over with," Sokka says grabbing my hand to pull me out the door, I look over to the direction I think Katara and Aang are in and say, "you guys were really loud last night." I can hear Katara gasp in horror and Aang just laugh nervously, although I was kidding it helped me to figure out just exactly what Katara was wearing too bad I was blind I would have loved to see their facial reactions.

When we get to the train station I'm able to hear the cars screeching and halting loudly, I turn towards Sokka, "guide me to the ticket station please." He quickly grabs my hand and starts to pull me in the direction.

"Yes may I help you?" a women asks with a rude tone, I glare and pull out my passport.

"My name is Toph Bei Fong and I need two tickets for the next train to Gaoling," I pass the passport in front of her hoping her tone would change…it didn't.

"And how do you plan on paying for these tickets?" she asks in the same tone, I reach in my pocket and pull out five yuan bills.

The lady lets out a quick gasp before pulling the money from my hand, "Avatar Aang, such an amazing man," she muses probably a little star struck; I let out a wicked smile.

"I live with Avatar Aang," I hear the lady gasp again before I feel Sokka grab the tickets from her.

"Thanks very much," he says before pulling me away, I'm not sure but I think I hear the lady ask how it is living with the Avatar but I don't get to answer.

"That women asked me a question," I snap at Sokka who just grumbles at me and continues to drag me on, my birthday was yesterday why was he treating me like I was five.

"She was fangirling over Aang sounds like a great conversation," he says quickly and I can't tell if he is jealous or just tired.

"If you say so," I mumble and we come to a stop, letting out a loud sigh he sits down, I follow behind, "what's up with you?"

"I'm tired," he claimed before adding, "Also a little hunger over," he says between yawning and of course my first reaction is to laugh, "what's so funny?"

"No wonder you asked if we ended up doing something last night," I joke and much to my surprise he doesn't argue back.

"6 am Train to Goaling boarding now," somebody yells and I push myself off the bench, Sokka moaning next to me.

"6 am seriously Toph?" Sokka grumbles as we head towards the loading dock I shrug my shoulders.

"Sokka I don't know anything about time! I can't tell when it's morning or night just by looking," I snap when I feel someone's arm tap me.

"Ticket please," a man says and I hand him my ticket fumbling to find it, "do you need some assistance ma'am?" he asks and before I can snap at him Sokka grabs my arms.

"No she's being taken care of thank you so much," Sokka says to the man and he guides me on to the train, once I feel my way into a seat I pull my arm away from him.

"I am more than capable of doing things on my own," I insist lying back against the window, Sokka laughs.

"I know you are Toph but I was able to see in your face that you wanted to shout at that guy and for no reason too," Sokka defends the guy and I can't help but feel angry, people need to be more accepting of people with disabilities, not everyone is handicapped by them.

"I had a reason," I grumble listening to the sounds of all the people talking on the train the rustle and bustle is quiet loud for being 6 in the morning.

I get ready to talk to Sokka when I hear him snoring I smile, "I guess maybe I'll go to sleep too," I lean on Sokka's shoulder and fall asleep.

"So now what?" Sokka asks as we get off the train, it takes about three hours to get from Republic City of Gaoling so it was about 9 in the morning.

"Let's go get some breakfast?" I suggest my stomach rumbling loudly, I can hear Sokka's too.

"Sounds like an amazing idea," he suggests and we head into the city ready to get some food.

While we walk I can hear people talking about me, pointing out who I was and rumors about my parents and the baby began.

"You, you are Toph Bei Fong," someone gasped grabbing my arm; I could feel Sokka pulling their hand off me.

"Yes she is and it would be nice if you didn't touch her like that," he snaps and I hear the person who laid the hand on my laugh.

"I see why your parents decided to have another child, you are weak and your achievements mean nothing," the man sneers and I hear him walk way. I resist the temptation to make his ass meet the floor.

"The nerve of some people," Sokka says and I just laugh nervously, "but I have to know what did he mean about your parents having another child?" I knew he was going to ask and I have been wanting to tell him I just haven't yet I guess right now would be the perfect time.

"I guess the rumor is true," I mumble and I hear him cough, "okay I guess my mother is pregnant," I admit the pain of it hitting me again.

"What? And if you've known for awhile why haven't you told anybody?" he asks and I try to remember why I hadn't told him yet.

When I remember I say, "It was because you fell asleep, I found out the day Suki left," I admit and it takes him a moment, probably trying to remember the night, before he responds.

"Oh you should have woken me up…Toph that's big news," Sokka says and I just shrug, it has been running in my mind for the past few days and I was finally finding out it was in fact true, talking about it wasn't exactly what I wanted to do.

"You were upset about Suki leaving so I decided not to bother you with it, you being asleep was actually a good thing," I say but I don't think he believes it I'm sure he is giving me a look disproval but I luckily couldn't see it, "come on lets go eat I am starving."

We sit down at a local outdoor restaurant when I can hear people all around me whispering, what was with this city lately? They knew me and I know for a fact they know of what I've done (I mean it was so big who didn't know) so why was I the talk of the town all of a sudden?

Oh because I haven't been back here in almost 6 years that must be what it is! Duh Toph.

"Miss Bei Fong, it's been so long since I've seen you or even your parents how are you?" I recognize the waitress's voice but I can't remember her name to save my life, I smile.

"I have been great and I'm sure my parents have been too with the new baby coming," I reply trying my hardest to not sound rude or sarcastic, I'm not sure if it's coming across well because I feel Sokka kick me under the table.

"Well that's just great," the waitress says a little too happily before she takes our orders, both Sokka and I order green tea and whatever meat they have it had been a long time since I had a good piece of meat this is what happens when you live with a Monk and his now converted vegetarian girlfriend.

"This is so amazing," Sokka says savoring his food I can tell he is lingering on each bite I can hear him drooling.

I take a bite and swallow it before taking a drink of my tea, I was trying harder than ever to not think about my parents and the baby, I wasn't ready to go see them yet, I wasn't mentally prepared and I, of course, wasn't hungry.

"So you ready to go see your parents yet?" he asks when we finish and pay for lunch, I shrug my shoulders before shaking my head, "seriously not yet? Well what should we do in the meantime?" he asks and I can't think of anything except…

"Shop," I don't even have to imagine his answer I'm sure his eyes are lighten up like lights but he doesn't say anything.

"Okay," he replies trying to hid his excitement but I know it is there I can just sense it. We walk down the street stopping at different merchants ever so often Sokka would talk widely about something before deciding not to purchase it. We continue to walk when Sokka suddenly stops and I run into him.

"Ouch," I mumble rubbing my head but Sokka doesn't hear me he's too busy gapping at something he's seen.

"Hey remember the Boulder?" he asks and I smile wickedly, why wouldn't I remember the Boulder? Not only did I beat him at his own game I might have been the person to murder him.

"Yes I remember," I reply still smiling, aw those were the days but it makes me think of my family once again and suddenly I felt angry.

"Well they have some old stuff of his here and it's all so cheap," he gasps probably looking through all it, why would anybody want that stuff anyway? Sokka.

We finally leave shopping, Sokka deciding to not purchase anything except for a brand new vest or something I was a little sidetracked if I'm being honest.

"So are you finally ready?" Sokka asks me and I try to avoid the question but I'm not sure if I really can anymore.

"Yes I am ready," I finally answer trying to suck up my pride; he takes my hand and squeezes it, a sweet unexpected gesture.

"Great let's get going," he says and we begin to walk in the direction of the house I grew up in.

No words are spoken between us as we walk to the house until Sokka finally says we are close. I repeat to myself over and over again that I want to hear them, I want to be with them but I finally realize I don't. I don't want to be with them, I don't want to hear their voice. I don't want anything to do with them.

I start to walk forward my footsteps getting slower and slower when I finally stopped my anger beginning to boil over.  
"Toph are you alright?" Sokka asks and I turn around realizing I was extremely angry my body was shaking.  
"No I am not alright," I snap at him turning my head towards the sky, "you know what mom and dad, I'm sorry I was born blind, I'm sorry I had to sneak out in order to prove that I was a great earth bender, I'm sorry that I used to fight for money, I'm sorry that I was not as weak and fragile as you thought and I'm sorry you had to go and have another baby just to be happy," I pause tears streaming down my face I was completely shaking and I was angry and no one was going to stop me from saying what I felt, "But you know what I'm not sorry that I snuck out 6 years ago to go teach Aang to earth bend, I am not sorry for being the first person to ever do metalbending, I am not sorry for becoming a trainer and you know what they don't need any explanation on why." I turn to walk in the direction I came when I stop falling to the ground tears running down my cheeks. I always tried to be so strong and sometimes it didn't turn out as well as it should. My parents, my parents had such different expectations for me then I had for myself.  
I fall to the ground crying, I was having a huge mental breakdown and no one could even save me from it…except maybe Sokka.  
He ran his fingers through my hair whispering in my ear that it was okay and that I didn't have to do this. Almost without thinking I reached up and pull his face to mine kissing him full on the lips. The kissed lasts longer than I expect before I pull away standing up feeling like an idiot, "we need to go home," I say dusting off my knees, Sokka does the same and we start to head back towards the train station not uttering another word to each other.

The train ride home is quiet, not a lot of people are gathered on the train and Sokka and I are barley speaking, why would we? We've both kissed each other recently without even thinking about it and I broke down in front of him, that's attractive.  
We both stay wide awake the whole time, me playing with my hands, him humming some kind of tune.  
Both of us more than happy when we finally get back into Republic City, "have a great evening," a man says to us as we get off the train.  
"Sokka what time is it anyway?" I ask feeling more tired than I think I should.  
"It's about mid-evening, I'm sure Katara and Aang are enjoying dinner right now," he tells me his voice sounding flat and tired.  
"Oh," I say quietly as we continue to walk towards home.  
We walk in silence and my stomach feels like a huge knot, I want to tell Sokka I'm sorry for dragging him all the way to Goaling for nothing I get ready to say it to him when he cuts me off.  
"Toph I just want you to remember that I love you," my heart starts to skip at 100 beats per minute at those words, my mouth was dry and my head was pounding when he continued, "and Katara and Aang love you and if thats not conformation enough for you then you know what you have to do."  
I get ready to ask him what he meant by that when I hear the door open and shut again, I was dreading this moment, he was upset with me.  
I head towards the porch chair dropping my belongs on the floor and break down harder than I had before.


	7. Day Seven Part One

So because Day Seven is going to be so long I've decided to break it up into two chapters (it also makes the fic a little bit longer) so I will post Part Two in three-four days.

Hugs and reviews

~comeontwinkletoes

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I woke up the next morning my eyes swollen and my back sore I didn't even bother to go back inside the house after Sokka went in, I've fallen asleep too many times outside lately.

I push up off the chair and head inside to the house, it was eerily quite which meant I was up very early. I go into the wash room to clean myself up quickly before going into my room and getting dressed.  
I live the house once again but with nobody this time just me, myself and head towards the train station, maybe this is what Sokka had meant, maybe he meant for me to go on my own.  
I wish I was able to write because then I would be able to tell them where I was going and that I would be back so they wouldn't worry but I couldn't so I just leave the house with my head held high ready to stand up to my parents.

I fall asleep on the train and is shaken awake by someone I obviously didn't know, "excuse me Miss. Bei Fong." I jump out at the sound of my name more startled by it then the feeling of her hitting me, I wipe my eyes.  
"Who are you?" I call out my head facing straight, the lady grabs my hand and helps me stand up.  
"I am a maid at your parents house," she introduces herself and I'm a little shocked, I don't recognize her voice, "I started working for your parents after you were gone," she must have read my mind.  
"Oh I see. Are you going to escort me to the house? They have no idea I am here," I tell her as she guides me off the train.  
"That's alright they don't know I'm home yet either," she laughs as we walk, "I've been wanting to meet you for the longest time," she gushes and I feel myself start to relax.  
"Meet me why?" I ask I can tell we are on a main road now, there is a little bit of bustle on the street.  
"Well because they used to talk about you all the time," she begins and I feel my heart pound, they talked about me, "when I first started working there, it was after you had left, I saw so many photos of you and your mother used to cry a lot, I had been under the impression that you had passed on." There is such sorrow in her voice I want to reach out and pat her back, but I didn't know her well enough.  
"I finally asked one of the guards about you and he had said you didn't pass away you had just left without your parents permission," she continues and I feel a tad guilty about what I had said yesterday, "I tried to never bring you up around them, it was a sore topic, so I kept my thoughts to myself until they began to speak of your metal bending and how amazed they were," I smile at the idea of my parents talking about me, in a praising way, they had always imagined me being somebody I wasn't, I could have admitted this to this woman but I kept it to myself.

She doesn't talk to me for a few moments and I'm almost scared that she had left me but I hear her shout, "excuse me!" to a someone with a carriage I assume. I hear tires squeak and a ostrich horse's footsteps, I smile at the familiarity of it.

"Is that-," the carriage driver starts to say but my chaperone cuts him off before he could ask if I was who he thought I was.

"Yes it is and we are going to the Bei Fong house," before the driver can protest I hear the door creak open and I can feel my friend's hand helping me up into the carriage.

When the carriage starts to move I began to feel more nervous than anger like I had the day before, I had no choice but to go now, I couldn't turn around and go back, I don't think this lady would let me.

"You are nervous, I can tell," she says and I can't help but feel warm inside, she was very motherly and I wish she would have worked for my parents when I was there maybe she would have convinced them to let me be who I truly was.

While sitting on the train I listen to the sound of the ostrich horse walking waiting for us to get closer, "my granddaughter is going to be so jealous that I've met you," my escort finally says and I smile confused as to why anyone would be jealous of somebody else meeting me.  
"Jealous of you? Why?" I ask becoming very interested, I had…fans?  
"Oh she is a huge fan, she pretends to be you, she says she hopes to be an amazing Earth bender just like you are," the admiration in her voice is amazing and I can't help but feel glad about it.  
"What is her name? I would love to meet her one day," I feel very sure about meeting her, I wasn't used to having fans.  
"Her name is Lin and she lives in the Republic City," my stomach feels fuzzy and I can't stop myself from smiling.  
"That's a beautiful name," I say, Lin, it was a very lovely name.  
"Thank you, I quite like it myself seeing as it's my name as well," I'm not surprised to hear that it was also her name, I'm also happy to finally know what her name is instead of wondering.  
We are quiet again as we pass through town when Lin finally says, "we are here," the carriage slowly starts to slow down and I began to feel my heart pound harder and my back begins to sweat.  
I hear the carriage door open and Lin stand up, "here I will help you out," normally I would wave off her assistance but now I'm glad to have the help, it made me feel…loved.  
I finally touch the floor and I let myself breath once again although it was a heavy breaths.  
"It was very nice seeing you again Miss. BeiFong," the voice of the carriage driver squeezes my shoulder before I hear Lin pay him.  
"Alright, I will call for a guard to help you and then I have to go," her voice is soft and I suddenly feel panicked I wasn't ready for her to leave me, I had just met her and I felt more nurturing love from her almost like a grandmother.  
"You won't be entering with me through the front?" I ask a little confused and a little sad, why couldn't she go through the front?  
"I have to go to my small house where the rest of the help sleep before I can go into the house, you were young I'm sure you didn't remember it was there," she reaches out and squeezes my hand, "it has been the biggest pleasure finally meeting you and I can already see why your mother is proud, I hope to see you again during your stay," she reaches down and kisses my forehead before I hear her footsteps trail off in the distance. I turn away from where I hear the steps and listen to the other footsteps that were now approaching me.  
"Miss. Bei Fong, it has been a very long time," the voice sounds familiar and I realize it is Dante the guard, he has been here since I was young, he knew about my bending talent but he promised he wouldn't tell.  
"It's nice to hear you Dante," I nod to him; he grabs my hand and guides me to the house, I begin going deeper into panic mode.  
"Your parents aren't expecting you are they?" he asks as we walk and I shake my head no.  
"I came by yesterday and didn't make it here," I admitted feeling a little guilty about the whole situation.  
"Oh, you didn't want to come and see us," He says with a hint off offense in his voice, I feel guilty again.  
"No that wasn't it," I say trailing off a little bit taking in the fresh air that is outside, I smell familiar smells of the flowers I used to pick and smell, the sound of the lake I used to run across when I wanted to be active.  
"Oh, well its been an awful long time since you've visited, I guess that metal bending has kept you away, I must say I was very impressed when I found out what you did with it," Dante sounds impressed and I can't help but feel proud, at least some people in this house recognized my achievements although according to Lin my parents were proud…I guess we'll find out soon.  
I thank him and he doesn't say anything back but once I hear the door pull open I realize why, we walk in, another guard walking behind us and once again I start to panic.

"Dante," a women's voice starts and then pauses probably gapping at me, "Miss. Toph," the women says so quietly before wrapping her arms around me, I could hear her sobbing, I honestly didn't think about peoples reactions to me coming back but if I had this reaction wouldn't have been what I thought.

"You have gotten so tall and so beautiful," she comments rubbing the back of her hand against my cheek, the gesture is a little awkward for me because I can't see her but I don't move her hand away I instead let her continue with the gesture, when she moves her hand away my panic comes back a little bit, "you came at the best time."

I open my mouth preparing to ask why when Dante speaks up first, "has it happened?" he asks and I assume he means the birth of the baby.

"Yes," she says happily, maybe that's the reason she was so emotional when she first saw me, "your mother, she has given birth to a healthy baby boy."


	8. Day Seven Part Two

**So here is part two of day seven out of three parts and I'll will up date most likely Friday !**

~hugs and reviews

comeontwinketoes

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**Day Seven Part Two;**

It isn't until Dante asks if I'm okay do I realize I was holding my breath as the nurse spoke, I might not have been able to see but I knew they were both looking at me.

"I will go inform your father that you are here," the nurse says before I hear her leave, I feel shaken up as Dante puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Let us go into the sitting room while we wait for your father," Dante says leading me from where we just stood to the room where my parents had their oversized chairs, it's where meetings were usually handled, I nod my head remembering the last time I was in the room, the night I ran away to join Aang.

"My daughter, she is home," it's my fathers voice, he isn't in front of me I could tell, he was somewhere off to the side coming into the room.

"Yes father it's me," I say chocking out the words, this was my father I was speaking to why was I so nervous?

"I imagine you heard about the baby," he says slowly and I know that he is now sitting in the chair in front of me.

I nod my head yes, "I would like to meet him," I tell him and he just lets out a small laugh.

"You will be allowed to meet him as soon as he is awake, both he and your mother are asleep," he tells me and I feel a stab in my heart, my mother was asleep and the way he made it sound was that he wouldn't be waking her up for me.

"So she doesn't know I am here?" I ask clearing my throat; I was shaking maybe because of how cold it was in the house, maybe not.

"Toph you did not send a letter of warning about this little visit so neither of us were aware," my father's voice is so casual I can't help but feeling loathing of him and how he once treated me.

"You didn't write to me about mother's pregnancy so I suppose we are even," I say trying to keep my tone as even as I could, it was rather difficult.

"Your mother thought it would be best if we didn't upset you with the news because of how busy you have been with your Metal Bending," the way he says "metal bending" is so condescending as if this whole thing is just a joke.

"Because knowing that I would soon have a younger brother or sister would have put such a dent in my teaching," my tone is full of so much hate I wonder if he even notices, I tried hard to not speak to elders with this tone of voice but I couldn't hold back not with the way he was already speaking to me.

"I will not have you speak to me in this way young lady," he snaps and I feel myself step back a bit, "what I did before was to protect you," he says and I start to laugh, a sarcastic, bitter laugh.

"What exactly where you trying to protect me from? Making friends? Having a personality of my own?" I was beginning to get livid; all the things I had tried to suppress for so long was coming back to me now, why did he want to shield me away from everything back then?

"We will not be discussing this any further, you will go and rest and then we will have lunch," I know I didn't have a choice so I turned my back toward where his voice was and followed Dante towards the stairs.

"I actually would like to go to the garden if that is alright with you," without saying anything Dante begins to walk in a different direction I follow him.

"We must go out a different way so your father doesn't notice," he fills me in and I just nod knowing that it was a smart idea.

I sit outside in the garden for what feels like hours when I hear footsteps descend towards me I look up at the sound, "Yes Dante," I say as he comes closer I feel myself sit up, I had horrible posture.

"You have a visitor, a male," I perk up at the word male and I can't help but laugh at it, it must be Sokka.

"Me a visitor? Never in a million years did I think I would ever hear you say I have a visitor," I laugh and I hear him give out a small laugh as well.

"A visitor or a male visitor?" he asks and I laugh some more at the idea of it before replying, "Any visitor so let him in I suppose."

I'm alone again a few minutes later waiting for Sokka to come in with Dante, I'm able to hear their footsteps and Sokka talking animatedly about something.

"Here she is Mr," Dante pauses hoping for Sokka to finish the sentence I don't turn towards them.

"Sokka, just Sokka," he sounds so happy that I can't help but smile wide, same old Sokka.

"Nice to meet you , Fong would you like me to stand by?" Dante asks and again I feel a little trapped, but I know it's his job and he was just doing what he was paid to do.

"No I think we are fine thank you very much Dante," I smile and I know he's gone, I move over on the bench so Sokka can seat down on it.

"It's been a long time since I've been here," he says sitting beside me, I nod my head, just as long as I have.

"He is still treating me like I never accomplished anything," I tell Sokka, who was listening, at least I thought so, inventively.

"Well this is the first time you've been here in years so it's going to take him so time," he says and although I'm sure he is right I can't help but feel that my dad should have welcomed me home with open arms.

I open my mouth to object when I hear dainty footsteps approach us, "Miss. Toph your father has insisted that you get inside to nap before it's time to eat an early dinner," I grit my teeth before turning towards the steps.

"Of course, as for my guest," I trail off and I feel Sokka lightly tap my leg, "he will be joining us for dinner."

"Your father is very welcoming of your guest and he said he is allowed to stay as long as he wants, a room has already been prepared for him," the maid says and I smile thankfully at her.

I hear Sokka stand up and he reaches and takes my hand I whisper, "let the maid get ahead of us," and we wait a few minutes before we start walking.

"I feel like I am 6 years old again," I mumble gloomily, "back when I was going to school to become 'proper' they would always have me take a nap," I tell him beginning to go into a lengthy description of my life when I was a child.

"You went to school?" he asked me letting out a small laugh, I just mug him before he says, 'I mean you said you never had a friend before us so I just thought-."

"No I didn't actual go to a school, I was homeschooled, they kept me sheltered from everything one and everything I'm surprised people in this town even know who I am," I huff stepping on something hard, "ouch," I mumble reaching out to rub my foot before continuing our walk, "anyway I did the whole becoming a lady thing, I had to learn to eat properly, although I was constantly being helped because they didn't think I could do anything on my own, I was taught proper etiquette, I even had to carry a book on my head, until they decided to change things because of my disability," I hate the word and I hated using it.

I can feel us entering the house and I try to listen for the maids footsteps to see if they were still ahead of us before I coninuted to explain my old daily schedule to Sokka, "when I started earth bending training my naps became a lot more frequent, my parents would send out a maid to get me and bring my back to my room where should would sit and wait for me to fall asleep before leaving," the memory makes me angry but I hold back.

"Wait…if they watched you all the time how did you ever go out to learn with the Badger Moles?" his question made me smile; it was nice that he remembered little bits of my life before I met him and the others.

I laugh "oh that was a whole other story," I say as I hear the footsteps stop.

" we are about to descend up the stairs," the maid says and I feel Sokka's hand underneath my arm, I fight the urge to nudge him off.

"I just need help up the first steps and then I should be able to get myself up," I say to Sokka as he guides me, I walked up these stairs everyday, well a long time ago.

"Alright," Sokka whispers into my ear as he helps me up the first few steps before I reach out and grab the railing that helped to guide me up, "so what happened when you finished napping?"

I smile, "they would help me to bathe and then I would go downstairs to eat lunch and then continue with my bending, that I had to water-down for the sake of my parents," I admit just as I hit the final step, I feel myself waver a bit before I feel Sokka's hand again, "thank you."

"Here is your room Miss. Toph and your guest's room is right across the whole," the maid says and I assume she is signaling which room is which.

I lean over and whisper to Sokka, "when she is gone come into my room so we can finish talking," I say making sure to not sound like I was wanting something else besides talking, although it would be nice having him in there as I napped.

"Sure," he says before walking away, I feel the maid's hand on my now as she ushers me into my room.

"Right here," she says taking my hand and placing it on what feels like a wooden box, "is the dresser, your brush is on here, it hasn't been moved since you left," I smile at the idea, although deep down it made me sad knowing that my things hadn't been touched. I feel the maid pull me away from the dresser to what I feel is the bed, "right here is the bed, the sheets have been changed and the blankets have been updated to something a little more appropriate and then right here on the table next to it is a light," again she is pulling me, this room was my room so why didn't I remember where anything was?

"Here is your bathing room complete with toilet, bath and sink," the maid says I can tell she is smiling, must have been a big deal I wasn't sure I was used to a bathroom, "and then right here is your wardrobe, all of your old clothes are still inside of it, your mother didn't want to get rid of anything," the maid says her tone a little saddening, "all right is there anything I can get you before I go attend to my other duties?" she asks and I feel a weight lift off my shoulder, she wasn't going to be watching me as I sleep, maybe my father did trust me a little bit.

"No that will be all thank you so much," I say to the maid and I hear her clothes move as if she was bowing to me, I hear her footsteps suddenly stop.

"I just wanted to tell you Miss that we are all very proud of what you have accomplished and it has made us even more proud of whom we work for," I feel my heart pound at the word proud, someone here was proud of me and I couldn't help feel glad.

"Thank you, thank you very much," I say wiping a tear from my eye, "it means a lot to me," just as I hear her begin to walk away again I think of Lin, "wait where does Lin work?"

"Lin is a maid for your mother so she will be helping out with the baby, if you would like to see her I'd be more than happy to take you to your mom's chambers before dinner, I'm sure you are more than ready to hold your brand new brother," I smile at the maid as she finally leaves my room, I walk into the direction of my wardrobe and feel for the handle when I pull it open I'm immediately hit with the smell of dust, has it really been that long? I reach out and grab at my old clothes letting the cloth and the memories fall from my fingers I feel tears climb the back of my eyes when I hear someone at my door clear their throat.

"I came just as you asked," Sokka says and I wipe the tears that had fallen from my eyes, "are you okay?" he asks suddenly sounding concerned I can feel him running towards me.

"No I'm fine," I say putting my arms out to stop him from placing his hands on my shoulder, "just reminiscing a bit."

"You look tired," he says reaching to touch my face I push at the gesture feeling the heat prickle on my neck, I do suddenly feel tired.

"Will you…lay with me until I fall asleep?" I ask hoping I didn't sound needy, Sokka had a girlfriend I shouldn't have asked him to lay with me, stupid Toph you are stupid.

"Sure of course," he agrees and I walk towards the bed slipping off my shoes, I wasn't going to even bother changing into pajamas I was too tired.

I reach out touching the side of the bed as I walked along it pulling off the covers as soon as I got to the headboard, I pull myself on to the bed just as Sokka does, "I hope they don't come in here they might get the wrong idea," I say with a nervous laugh my face burning.

"Yeah we wouldn't want that would we," Sokka says with a hint of hurt in his voice I want to quickly change the subject.

"I never asked how did you know I was here?" I ask him suddenly interested, I had planned to ask him earlier but I wanted to vent about my father instead.

"Katara came into my room this morning worried about where you went and I told her I would find you, so I went to the train station got on the earliest train to Goaling and ended up here," he says with a yawn, "I was hoping you got what I meant last night," his voice was starting to become quitter.

"Yeah I understood it," I say and turn towards him I get ready to say something else when I notice he was snoring, he sure did fall asleep fast. I reach out and run my hand over his face, "I understood loud and clear."

I wake up to the hum of singing; my first reaction is to be startled why someone was singing in my bathroom when I realize it's just Sokka. I let myself relax a bit before something else fills my mind. If Sokka is bathing that means he's naked I feel my face flush and although I can't see him, the idea of him being naked five feet away from me makes me feel giggly. I hear the water shut off and his humming get louder, I try to pretend to be asleep when I hear the door handle start to move, I can't be sure that it's the bedroom door I so I quickly shout "I'm naked I will be done in a moment!" the door quickly shuts once again and I'm out of the bed.  
"I thought you were asleep!" Sokka screeches sounding embarrassed, I just shake my head giving him a look that I hope said "shut up."  
"Sokka I am blind I have no idea what you look like all I know is that one of my maids is outside that door and I need you to go into that bathroom and hide," I instruct and my face growing redder by the second, once I hear the bathroom door click I began to act as if I just go dressed.  
"You can come in now!" I shout and before I know it the door is being pushed open.  
"Oh Miss. Toph it doesn't look as if you have even bathed," the maid says disappointment and confusion clear in her voice, I forgot I was the only blind one here.  
"Oh yeah I was just getting ready to bath when I heard you opening the door," I quickly lie, thankful that the idea quickly popped into my head.  
I can tell she is hesitant to believe me because when she answers she sounds unsure, "alright, well I was just coming to tell you that your brand new brother is awake and I was planning on escorting you to see him but I'm sure you would like to bath first," and although I really did want to hold my brother, it had been awhile since I washed up.  
"Oh yes, maybe I could go and hold him after dinner?" I ask and she probably nods, I feel nervous.  
"Well I must take these linens to your guest before heading back down to check on dinner, I will come back in about a half hour to escort you," I can feel her pulling back towards the door when what she says finally connects.  
I hear the door open I reach out, "oh wait, um Sokka sleeps for a really long time and I know he doesn't like being woken up by strangers so if you don't mind leaving the clothes here I would be more than happy taking them myself," I smile and again she is hesitant, I'm not sure if she could tell I was lying, my breathing was a little heavy so if I was her I would be able to tell.  
"Yes of course miss, I will leave them on the dresser for you to deliver to him," I hear her place the clothes down before turning towards the door once again, "I will be back in a half hour and if you need help getting dressed or with your hair just leave it and I will help you when I arrive," and before I can give her thanks the door is shut and I'm alone…except I'm not really alone.  
I sit down on the bed a sweaty and shaking mess when I hear the bathroom door open once again and Sokka exits out of it laughing.  
"What's so funny?" I snap falling back on to the bed so I am lying down.  
"You are a pretty convincing liar," he says and I can tell right away he himself is lying.  
"You're lying," I say wiping my forehead, "and even though we didn't do anything I still couldn't let her know you were in here, a naked man in a young girls room it is improper," I say matter-of-factly and normally I don't care what is proper and improper but the thought of him being naked in my room gave me the chills and it was good chills.  
"Of course," he says and I hear him walk towards his brand new clothes, "oh Earth Nation clothes, royal Earth Nation clothes I am going to look so handsome," he gloats and I hear the towel drop on the floor, if my maid or even Dante walked into the room right now I would be dead, more than dead, I would be embarrassed and I think that was worse.  
"Sokka will you please take your naked body into the bathroom if someone walks in here," my voice trails off when I hear the sound of the door handle again, I hear Sokka's feet quickly run and the bathroom door shut.  
I sit up immediately and try not to look as if I am suspicious, "I forgot to bring you your new dress," the maid says pushing the door open, I'm sure she's wondering why I have yet to bathe but she doesn't ask; she lays the dress next to me on the bed before once again leaving.  
I breathe freely again, "that was close," I say aloud before falling back against the bed, deceiving someone was quite difficult.


	9. Day Seven Part Three

Finally Part Three of Day Seven...it's very scattered and for that I apologize!

Hugs and reviews.

~comeonetwinkletoes

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Sokka and I take a seat at the table, surprised to find out that my father is not yet there, I feel my stomach growl, I was really hungry and I didn't even notice it.

"Your father is currently attending to your mother and he will be down as soon as he can," the maid, I need remember to ask what her name is, tells me and Sokka and I feel anger in the pit of my stomach.

"I'm surprised he's even coming," I say, I hear Sokka cough and I realize I said it aloud although I meant to say it in my head.

"Yes well as soon as he gets here dinner will be served," the maid says and I hear Sokka thank her before she leaves.

"What's wrong with you?" Sokka asks his tone made him sound more worried than upset I just shrug my shoulders unsure of what exactly was wrong, just woke up on the wrong side of the bed I guess.

"Good evening," my father says coming into the room, I don't say anything back to him just a little smile, I hear him take a seat at the table, "how was your nap?" he asks me and my instinct is to just shrug but I feel Sokka's eyes on me so instead I answer.

"It was very nice, much needed I have not been sleeping well," I admit to him not really wanting to make small conversation.

"That is good, naps are very important especially for you," he says and I start to grind my teeth what decision was it of his if naps were good for me?

I get ready to say something when I smell food in front of me, "rice and pork soup with some wheat bread," the server, male, informs me as he places the food on the table, I take in the smell my mouth salivating.

"So your mother will not be joining us for dinner this evening, she doesn't feel well and she will be resting," although I feel sad about it, I'm sure it is a lot better for her to rest instead of walking around.

We continue eating in silence when my father clears his throat and begins talking, "I just want to inform you on the party that will be happening tomorrow afternoon in honor of your return and also the birth of your brother," I drop my chopsticks on the table trying my hardest not to curse at him, I've already had two days off and I really needed to get back to training, only about two weeks left with my current trainees. I get ready to tell him this when he cuts me off, "Sokka you are also more than welcome to attend."

I sit there waiting hopefully for Sokka to answer, this party wasn't going to be in my honor, it was just his way of humoring me, not that I cared.

"Well if there is a way we could get a letter to Katara and Aang today, right now, I see no reason why we wouldn't be able to stay, Aang is fully capable of teaching or even just watching as they practice," I feel like kicking Sokka in the shin, the dope, I could have denied going to this thing, I had a good excuse but I suppose I had visited here for a reason and said reason has yet to be discussed.  
"I'm sure we could work something out, Dante," my father calls and we wait for the guard to come out.  
"Yes sir?" he asks and I wonder if he bows, was I supposed to bow to my father? My students bowed to me although I wasn't able to see it.  
"Please help Sokka here write a letter to his sister and the Avatar and when it is finished send out one of the new guards to deliver it, in person," I feel like telling him no, it was such a long way to go to get to republic city from here, the guard would be out all night, Sokka squeezes my wrist before pushing his chair from the table.  
"Of course sir, this way," I listen as Dante and Sokka leave the table, my father and I sit in silence as we listen, the two's voices becoming distant.  
"Now Toph," my father begins taking a drink of water, I wait patiently as he finishes picking up my chopsticks to eat once again, "I just want to remind you of the people that will be attending the party tomorrow and how I would be happy if you kept your erratic behavior to a bare minimum."  
I place my chopsticks gently on the table; I sit my arms on it as well leaning in towards him "so what you are saying is that defending what you've done is a sign of a erratic behavior?" I ask although I try to keep the sarcasm out of my voice I'm not able to.  
"Now Toph there is no reason for you to not be proud of what you've done," I don't allow him to finish whatever it is he is trying to say.  
"Yeah but there is a problem with you being proud of it isn't there?" I spat pushing myself out of the table, "I'm sorry…again that I've changed and that my change is not beneficial to you."  
I stand up from the table and walk out of the room I go past Sokka in the process and I hear him call my name but I ignore it. As I go up the stairs I secretly hope that Sokka will come after me.

**  
Once I get to the top I start to run my hand over the walls looking for any open door, finally I find one and insert it, "Miss. Toph," the voice is familiar: Lin.  
"Lin, is she awake?" I ask realizing I was in my mothers room, I could feel her presence.  
"No she's not but somebody else is," she says with a happy tone and after she says it I hear a baby cry out.  
"Is…is it safe for me to hold him?" I ask walking towards the cry, I was okay with rocks but a human baby in my arms? That was scary.  
"Of course, you do plan to have children of your own one day right?" she asks and the questions surprises me, I've thought about maybe having children just the idea of taking care of a child by myself scared me.  
"I suppose one day," I shrug as she guides me to something, I realize that it's a chair, the rocking chair I used to always sit in.  
"Here have a seat," she helps to stabilize the chair as I sit down in it, "let me go grab him from his crib."  
As she walks away, I rock the chair back and forth slowly thinking about the baby and how I was finally going to meet him and hold him.  
I hear a coo in front of me when Lin comes back, "his eyes are wide open and he is staring at you," she reaches down and makes sure my arms are open, "I'm going to lie him down in your arms are you ready?" she asks and I nod my head yes, although I wasn't sure I was ready.  
I feel the weight in my arms immediately, he was warm his body heat giving off as I held him, I kept my tears from falling as I rocked the chair back and forth, "is he scared of me?" I ask he was very quiet.  
"No, he is staring at you so attentively, as if you are the most fascinating thing he has ever seen," he let's out another coo, he felt so light compared to the rocks, so light and fragile.  
"He…he can see right?" I ask my grip tightening on him, I was not in anyway going to let this baby fall.  
"Yes he has good vision as far as we can tell, your mom insisted we find out, although she said she would be more than fine if did end up being…" she doesn't finish the sentence, she was very aware of my feelings and although I realized she was trying to respect me, I didn't mind the word.  
"Blind," I finish for her, I move my head down," you know I've been holding him this whole time and I don't even know his name."  
Lin lets out a small laugh; I wonder if she was folding clothes I could smell lavender, "well you see Miss. Toph, your mom hasn't figured out a name yet."  
"Why not?" I ask, does it normally take people this long to name their children?  
"Because she says she hasn't looked at him and went "wow he looks like a Lao" she wants to wait until something finally hits her," Lin says and I can smell the soap again. I just sit there quietly holding the baby, feeling his heart beat, listening to him breath when he stars to wiggle.  
"Lin," I cry out trying to tighten my grip on him again but it doesn't work he let's out a loud cry.  
I hear Lin's quick footsteps next to me, I feel her reach down taking the baby out of my hands, "it's okay," she muses walking away from me, I get off the chair and try my best to sneak out of the room, "goodnight Miss. Toph," she calls out when I'm outside of the room, I don't turn and say anything back instead I walk out the door and back down the stairs, back to where my dad was, I wanted to yell at him louder than before, I wanted him to stop treating me like a child, I wanted to feel free again.

I sit in the backyard about an hour later opening and closing the ground, just waiting for the right moment to go underneath, I get ready to jump when I hear footsteps behind me.  
"What are you doing?" Sokka asks and I let the ground close standing up, I want to open the ground underneath him and let him fall into it and shut it.  
"I know our friendship has limitations but why didn't you come after me when I ran away earlier?" I ask angry at him, also feeling stupid because of what I just said.  
"Because I know you didn't want to talk to me and what do you mean limitation?" he asks and I think of away to turn the conversation away from the limitation thing.  
"Why wouldn't I want to talk to you?" I ask thinking back to the dinner table conversation and how much I despised my father.  
"Because you want to talk to your mother," he's right, I really did want to talk to my mom more than anything else in the world, "And Toph I did come after you but I saw you were in your moms room with the baby and I didn't want to interrupt."  
"She just had a baby, she shouldn't be sleeping so long," I mumble letting him in on what was confusing me, "Remember when we helped that lady get to Ba Sing Sai? She had a baby and she got right up and continued to travel, she didn't sleep all day while letting a nurse take care of her newborn," I probably spoke a lot louder now than I should have but I couldn't help it, I was pissed, I open the ground once again.  
"What are you doing?" Sokka asks again and this time I get prepared to jump.  
"I remembered why I ran away every night, I'm going on an adventure, it's Earth Rumble time" I say before jumping in, Sokka doesn't follow at first, "you are more than welcome to join me."  
Without answering I hear the sound of his pants as he jumps and I hear the sound of his feet colliding with the floor he let out a huff and I shut the hole in the Earth.

"So you are bringing the Blind Bandit back?" he asks me as we walk, I feel his hand on the back of my shirt, he was clutching it so hard I could just tell him was afraid of how dark it was.  
"No, I don't plan to fight myself…at least I wasn't planning on it, it would be nice though to relieve my stress through it," and anger, it's why I used to do it in the first place besides it being the only place for me to earth bend and there weren't any rules.

"Good it would be dangerous anyway, I remember these fights," Sokka says and I can't help but laugh, Sokka used to love these fights.

"Who would have thought you would be the one to not want me to kick some other earth bending butt?" he doesn't say anything back to me as we continue walking.

I suddenly stop when I realize we've reached the end, I grab at the earth opening up a hole in the wall.

I'm able to hear loud cheers and asphalt being thrown I smile at memory of me fighting up there and wiping butt.

"We go up this way," I say to Sokka as I walk up the stairs, "make sure to duck if any rocks fly your way," I instruct as I go up the stairs. When we reach level ground the room goes completely quiet, something feels really off, "Sokka…what is going on?" I ask but he doesn't get to answer me.

"She has returned…after so many years the Blind Bandit is back," the host shouts into the microphone, I'm struck with what this means and I try to smile although I was quite scared.

"The Blind Bandit huh? I wonder if she would be able to beat me," some guy boasts and I suddenly want to wipe whatever smirk he wears off his face.

"You want to turn that into a beat dunderhead or are you too chicken?" I step away from Sokka and into the ring, I feel Sokka grab at me but I shake his hand away as I walk forward, "I didn't come here to fight but one couldn't hurt right?" I realize this was probably the wrong way to relieve my stress but I was already pumped nothing was going to stop me.

I hear the referee reach down to me and whisper, "are you only going to fight once?" he asks, I don't recognize his voice.

"Just one time to prove to that," I stick my arm out in the direction of my opponent, "dunderhead over there that I can in fact beat him."

"Alright then let's get this fight started!" The ref cheers into the microphone, "you guys are about to experience a real treat, the Blind Bandit has returned," he pauses as the crowd roars I smile, "but just for ONE NIGHT! SO LETS GET THIS PARTY STARTED!"

He doesn't even get the whole sentence after his mouth when the whole crowd explodes I feel anxious as well as excited as I listen to them, these people were excited for me, I forgot about Sokka and everything as I prepare myself to fight.

"So The Blind Bandit is going to go up against the current champ, The Flying Granite," the host, who happens to also referee shouts, and I can't help but laugh aloud.

"What's so funny girl?!" The Flying Granite asks he voice was loud and gruff; it was going to be fun beating him.

"The Flying Granite? Who came up with that one your mother?" I say the last sentence loud enough for everyone in the stadium to hear, everyone lets out "oohs" and laughs, and I smile triumphantly at the joke.

I hear him grunt and I prepare myself by getting into my stance, I didn't know we are starting already, and I really didn't care. I was able to feel him left the rocks and I grabbed the earth myself and shielded away from his rocks, hopefully throwing them back at him.

I hear him grunt and I know I hit him good, "is that all you got?!" I shout out, I was beginning to sound a little egotistical but it was hard being humble when you had such a winning streak.

I hear him grunt again as he probably lifts up more dirt, I wait and listen for it to come towards me, I throw my hands up and create a rock tent over my head giving me protection before reaching and throwing my own rocks in his direction, he lets out a loud yelp and I know I did some damage.

"And he is unconscious! Which means the Blind Bandit is the winner!" The host shouts and I can't help but let out a loud laugh, defeated already? And this guy was the current champion? How sad.

The host comes over to me, I can hear the microphone's noise echoing, he reached and pulled my arm up over my head, "Our old undefeated champ just proved why she is so powerful," people in the crowd start chanting my name and I feel myself begin to smile, more out of happiness than out of spite, I was the greatest earth bender and no one could ever make me feel different.

I feel giddy and stress free as me and Sokka walk back into the house, he doesn't speak and neither do I. It's been at least an hour since he's said anything to me and I realize he is mad at me.

"Look I don't understand what your problem is," I say to him and he just lets out a small sarcastic laugh, I put my arms over my chest, it was really cold and hard to breathe under hear…odd.

"Toph, you have people who love and respect you back home and they respect you not because you use rocks to knock people unconscious, they respect your strong will and your ability," he says and I although I want to disagree I know he is right.

We don't speak again for the rest of the walk, we finally get to the entrance to my yard, I open up the ground everything shakes but it doesn't bother me. Sokka goes up first and it takes him a few moments to reach down and help me, "we have visitors," he whispers to me as he pulls me up.

I consider what he said before realizing he was right, I was able to feel the vibrations of the people through the floor, there was about 5 people out here, the guards and my father I imagine.

"Father," I say evenly my neck starts to sweat and my face turns bright red, I thought it was cold under the ground where it was hot up here.

"How dare you leave my property without my permission," he says sharply and I can feel the anger coming off of him, he must have been red too.

"I didn't know I was suppose to ask for permission seeing as I am an adult and all," my sarcasm is very clear and I feel Sokka nudge me, I guess he didn't approve either.

"You will go into the house now and you will not be allowed to leave without anyone but my permission until you leave to head back home," he instructs and I can't help laugh, a loud cynical laugh.

"You know what your problem is?" I say stepping forwards Sokka says my name behind me in a pleading way, he probably wanted me to stop, "your problem is that you are mad that I made a name for myself with the things that I did not just because my last name is 'BeiFong' because that is how you planned to raise me, shielded from the world, unable to be anything but a clone of all the other women of high class…well guess what it didn't happen so now is the time to get over it," I yell and much to my surprise I'm not cry that is not yet.

"After the party tomorrow afternoon you are to leave and I will decide when it's a good time for you to come back," my father says and it's like a slap in the face, I just stand there a for a few minutes before I hear small dainty footsteps approaching us.

"Lao do not be so harsh," it's my mothers voice and I let out a cry before running towards her voice, I run and grab her stomach falling to the floor, "oh Toph, my beautiful girl it's alright," she muses into my hair and I sob heavily into her stomach, "if you do not mind I would love a few minutes alone with my daughter."

I hear the shuffling of feet and everyone leaves, I stand up wiping my eyes and realize Sokka is still standing near me.

"You are more than welcome to stay," my mother says to him and I'm sure she is smiling; I need to inform her that Sokka and I are only friends before she says something inappropriate.

"No I'm actually rather tired I'm going to head to bed," he squeezes my arm before heading out of the yard and back towards the house.

My mom grabs my arm and pulls me over to a bench, "I can see it in the way that you just blushed that you like that boy as more than just a friend," she jokes, her voice is just as soft as I remember it, I'm more than happy to finally hear her voice.

"Mom," I whine with a laugh she laughs as well a kind quiet laugh, "I have to know why is he so against my earth bending?" I ask her getting straight to the point, at least I think this is what she wanted to talk about.

"Oh yes, there is a lot you don't know about the history of our family, something's your father didn't want to tell you about," my mom begins and my eyes grow huge and I start to realize I didn't know much about my family, I think I've only met my grandparents once and I was too young to remember it.

"When I was a young girl I fell in love and it wasn't with your father it was with your uncle…his name was Chao; Chao was an Earthbender like yourself and I was so impressed by everything that he did, he used to bend for me and I would cheer 'more' I'd cry, 'more' and he would, everything was great your uncle was happy until the news came,"  
"It appeared that his younger brother and I were betrothed and when I turned 18 we would be married," she pauses I can tell she's trying to hold back tears but she continued anyway, "your uncle was not happy with the news, he even yelled at your grandparents accusing them of betrayal and I can't lie and say I wasn't hurt by the whole arrangement, I loved your uncle very much,"  
"But after awhile I started to love your father and Chao was not happy about it, he became so erratic, he even got into a fight with me once throwing a rock at my face, I still have a scar from it," she pauses and I wonder if she's running her hand over the scar," I never admitted what he had done to me, to anyone I kept a secret saying I just fell off my bed, your father didn't believe me, finally things had become so bad your uncle killed two of his guards, his parents were ashamed of what he did and they became worried about the reputation they would get from it so they kept it a secret from the world, sending him away,"  
"Your father had come to believe of benders as monsters and he hoped that we would never have a child who possessed the gene, I never saw it as something bad, the person who controls the gene is the one who is wrong, so when you had been born blind your father completely believed you weren't going to be one, I noticed the signs though," she laughs, a quiet laugh but a laugh none of the less, "when you were young and your earthbending skills became more dominant your father had been furious, he didn't want his fragile little girl to become some horrible bender, that's why he tried to keep you so hidden, he didn't want you to posses what his brother had," I start to realize why she hid this story from me, it didn't make sense but at the same time it did, I had always wondered what the reason for my fathers claustrophobic protection was I just sit there a moment my mother stroking my hair.  
"Your father loves you, you are his little girl and I although I do agree that his protection of you has been a little harsh it all makes sense, but he shouldn't feel so protective of you now, you are a strong women and you have accomplished great things," she tells me kissing my forehead and I smile, I had always wondered what my mom looked like but I can tell just by the way she talks that she is beautiful.  
"I guess we better get inside I am really tired," I say and I feel her stand up first helping me up after giving my shoulder a squeeze, "I held the baby today," I tell her as we start to walk, I can feel her wobble a bit.  
"I know, I was listening," she admits and at first I'm a little upset but I quickly get over it, "I don't think it will take him long at all to love you,"

I feel my stomach become fuzzy at the words my father used towards me earlier, his threat to not allow me to not come back without his permission would make it hard for the baby to fall in love with me, I don't say this to my mother though instead I say, "he's so small."

"Of course he's small, he was just born," she laughs lightly as we approach the house, I can hear the maid tapping her foot in the door frame waiting to help my mother.

"Miss. Poppy lets get you to bed and you Toph as well," the maid Lily helps my mother into the house; I follow after shrugging off her assistance.

"Thank you but I think I can find my own way," I smile and follow behind them when we go up the stairs and past my mother's room we stop.

"Goodnight my love," my mother says giving me a kiss on the forehead, "I will see you tomorrow," I listen as she and Lily go into the room and head forward towards my own room.

I start to walk when I hear a door open and footsteps, "boo," Sokka says trying to scare me but I just shrug him off, I knew he was there already by the sound of the door, he knew better than to try and scare me.

"It didn't work," I say leaning against the wall my hands over my chest, I move my head in the general direction of him, "you told me you were going to bed."

He laughs a little and I smirk feeling glad once again that he was here for me, "your dad talked to me about you," I feel my face fall, confusion taking over.

"About what?" I ask feeling a little shaky, Sokka reaches over laying a hand on my shoulder, laughing.

"Nothing bad I promise, he asked if you were always this stubborn, he…um…kind of thinks we are together," Sokka says sounding a little embarrassed, I laugh nervously, he moves his hand off my shoulders.

"What did you tell him?" I ask feeling the same embarrassment; I knew what my uncle felt like when it came to him and my mom.

"That we were just really good friends, he didn't seem to believe me," he says and I think of what my mom said about me liking Sokka, I guess you could tell, I didn't notice it.

"Yeah well one day when you and Suki get married he'll finally believe you," I say trying to hide the sadness that I was feeling at the idea of Sokka and Suki getting married one day.

"Yeah, that will show him," Sokka says his voice falling a little bit, we both stand there in silence before he clears his throat, "I guess I'm going to try and go to bed tomorrow you have a big day ahead of you, two parties in your honor in four days, how fun."

I laugh at him, "this party is not in my honor no matter what my father says, but I guess it is pretty big," I move off the wall and Sokka moves towards me wrapping his arms around me, my heart leaps to my throat and I feel my face warm.

"Goodnight," he says letting me go from the hug I push back and glaze over the door trying to find the handle to push it in, closed doors really did suck.

"Goodnight," I say pushing my door in and going into my room, feeling the best I had in a few days, I wonder what tomorrow has in store for me.


	10. Day Eight Part One

This is so short, but it's been so long since I updated I decided to just upload what I have so far anyway...it has been way too long and I apologize. So I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

hugs and reviews

~comeontwinkletoes

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I woke up the next morning to the sound of cleaning, I nearly jump off the bed when I realize it's probably just Lily.  
"You're finally awake Miss. Toph," she says and I wonder how she could tell, it's not as if you could see it in my eye.  
"Yeah, I feel so exhausted although I slept for hours," at least I think I slept for hours, time was not the easiest thing for me to figure out while in a house.  
"Well its very early in the morning, the sun is barley out," she tells me and I immediately throw my pillow over my face, a strange instinct I suppose.  
"Too early, what time does the party start anyway?" it was official I hadn't been sleeping for hours like I had hoped.  
"It's starts in mid-afternoon but your mother & father would like to have an early breakfast with you and Mr. Sokka," I let out a loud sigh of relief, Sokka wouldn't want to wake up at 6 am, impossible.  
"Let us get you into the bath, which I have already filled so that you can get dressed and down to eat," Lily says practically rolling me out of bed, I get out slowly standing on my feet and feeling my way to the bathroom. Once I get inside I start to strip down out of my clothes feeling a little uncomfortable, it had been years since someone saw me naked. I stand there naked waiting to get inside when I hear Lily push the door open coming inside, "here let's get you in," she says gently lifting my shoulders, I throw my foot over the side and step inside feeling the water on my feet instantly, I nearly fell out.  
"it's so cold," I cried trying again to get inside and get comfortable Lily laughs behind me.  
"It was a little warmer but you hadn't woken up yet," she says as I start to relax in the water, "so I have to ask but you and Sokka, are you guys together?"  
I slip a little bit thrown by the question, "no we are just really good friends, he is in love with someone else," I admit softly not wanting to think about Sokka and his feelings for Suki.  
"Oh I know exactly how that feels," she tells me scrubbing my arms, I try my hardest not to hit her; I stop and think about what she just said, she must mean Dante, I knew there was something there when i was little not that I could understand it at that age.  
"What do you mean?" it slips out before I even realize I was being noisy, she doesn't let on she just laughs.  
"It's a long story are you sure you want to hear it?" she asks before moving on to my other arm, I nod my head yes, "you asked for it," she laughs as she begins to scrub:  
"Ever since I was a young girl actually even before I was born I had always been promised a job here with the next descendants to the Bei Fong family, my mother worked for your grandparents and her mother worked for your great grandparents it had always been that way, so when I was 15 it was announced that your mother had given birth to a baby, typically you don't start working until you are 16 but I was going to be moving in at 15," she moves on to my legs, "I hadn't known I would be moving in so soon, I was out playing with the neighborhood kids, some of them were earthbenders, and when it was time to go in I went home and discovered my few belongings were completely packed,  
"I had been very upset, I had just met a boy, an Earthbender name Yip, and I had been hoping to one day marry him, but nothing ever works out like I want it to, so I was upset, I had cried the whole carriage ride there and it's not that I was upset about going with your family, I just didn't really want to be a maid anymore I wanted to be a wife a mother, " her voice shakes at the words wife and mother I want to reach out and squeeze her hand but she moves away from me too quickly.  
"My parents dropped me off and left, I was so confused, my mother had no longer worked for your parents so they decided to leave Goaling and find somewhere else to live, so they took my brothers and sisters and were gone, I would never see them again," she starts to scrub my hair, it feels nice having her massage my scalp, maybe she should rub my feet.  
"I was lost and frankly I was scared so when the elderly guard Pascual, came to guide me inside I didn't want to go, I wanted to be nowhere near these people, if it wasn't for them I'd probably be able to be home with my family, I was taken to the back house where I met the other maids, some where nice to me, some not so nice and some didn't even speak to me, and it was like that for weeks until I met Dante," she coughs violently for a few minutes before I feel her hands going into the water, if she was 15 all those years ago she was a lot older then I had originally believed, which means Dante was also older, "he was the only person to talk to me besides your mother of course, although the other maids would not allow me to even touch you which made me feel even more alone, I was given the job early to take care of you and I wasn't even going to be able to it didn't feel fair, so after a month I decided to run away, I got my bag packed and started my plan to runaway," the story surprises me so much I let out a gasp and she laughs, "are you getting bored?" she asks and I shake my head no quickly, I wasn't bored with this at all, I was very interested in all this, I never knew anything about the people who worked for me.  
"I'll continue then it's getting to the good part," she laughs moving from my hair, "stand up please." I stand up and I feel her run the sponge down my whole body, "I luckily got out of the gates and was so close to making a run for it when I was caught by Dante, he was as young as I was but he looked older, like he was 18 years old, he grabbed my arm and said, 'don't leave, I need a friend,' his words took me by surprise, I was so surprised that I decided to stay with him, I let him lead me back to the house,  
"After that we would talk all the time, I began to take care of you and I had begun to be accepted by all the people, when you turned 5 we began to date, but it was in secret no one would know," as she begins she starts to scrub my feet, although she does it gently I fight the urge to kick her in the face, "it lasted about a year until someone caught on and threatened me, either I stop what I am doing or I will tell Sir Bei Fong and you will be let go."

Her voice is so sad as she stops scrubbing my feet, as if she's going off in a daze, she doesn't say anything for at least 5 minutes; we both just sit there in silence until I start to feel cold, I stand up.

"Oh Miss. Toph I am so sorry here let me help you out," I hear her drop the soap in the tub moving quickly to help me out, once I can stand on my own she must grab my towel because a few minutes later it's wrapped around my body.

"It's okay," I say holding the towel to my body as I walk out of the bathroom and into my room, "is there a robe for me to put on?" I ask knowing I have one…somewhere.

"Of course, let me grab it for you," I stand still for a few moments before she nudges me to drop the towel, I do, next thing I know there is a robe wrapping around my body; a silk robe.

'How long before it's time for breakfast?" I ask realizing just how hungry I was, the taste of rice filled my mouth and it began to water.

"I'm not sure, here have a seat," she grabs my arm and drags me to what I think is the vanity chair, that vanity served one purpose and that was for my maids and mother. Once I'm seated I hear the door open and close leaving me alone as I wait for Lily to come back.


	11. Day Eight Part Two

Part Two of Day Eight :)

I hope you enjoy!

Day Eight will have about one more chapter...a long one I think.

Hugs and reviews!

~comeontwinkletoes.

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When Lily finally came back she informed me that we had no time to fix my hair because they were already starting breakfast and we had an early guest. She brushed threw my long hair and helped me out of the chair and out of the room and down the stairs. Lily leaves me to go down the stairs by myself, the sound of the baby crying come from somewhere next to me. I wobbled down the stairs surprised to feel a hand fall into mine once I reach the bottom; the hand is larger than Sokka's so it must be Dante.

"Are you ready for today?' he asks me as we walk, I just shrug my shoulders, I'm not sure if I was ready, but I didn't want him to know that.

"Good morning Toph," it's my mother; I smile at the direction of her voice as Dante guides me into my seat.

"Good morning," I say back pulling myself closer to the table, using a small bit of earth bending, hoping whoever our guest was didn't notice.

"Tue this is my daughter Toph," my father says apparently introducing me to whoever was sitting across the table from me.

"I would reach out and shake your hand sir but I'm afraid I can't see where it's at," I say and much to my surprise everyone including Tue laugh. I feel my cheeks redden as I smile.

"Of course," he says and I feel him grab my hand, kissing it softly, "I've heard and read a lot about your achievements."

If I could see I would be giving my father a smug look but instead of saying something sarcastic I open my mouth to say thank you when my father speaks, "I actually invited you here Tue to introduce you to my daughter's friend Sokka," my heart leaps at the mention of Sokka's name, I had forgot he was even here.

"Oh is that so? Where is this gentleman?" the man asks and I can feel my parents shuffle in their seats looking for Sokka.

"That is a good question, excuse me Dante," my mother calls to the guard, I listen to his big footsteps as he approaches us.

"Yes Madame," he asks and I wonder if he realizes that Sokka is missing, it had only been a few days but Sokka was hard to ignore.

"Where is our other guest Sokka?" she asks and I feel my heart skip, I wish she was saying her daughters betrothed, but some things don't happen as we wish they did.

"Oh yes, he had a late start waking up, he is currently getting dressed, according to Violet he will be down shortly," Dante informs all of us, I can feel his eyes burning into me, why would he be staring directly at me? I wasn't the one who asked where Sokka was.

"Thank you Dante," my father says dismissing the guard, he clears his throat, "well we can't start breakfast until our final guest is here."

Although I wanted to wait for Sokka, I also wanted to protest against him because I could smell the food and I was hungry.

We sat quietly as we waited for Sokka to finally come downstairs, this incident showed a lack of manners and if it was me, I would have been yelled at and felt guilty. I listened as the maid beside me poured tea into my cup, once finished I reached my hand out and found the glass nearly dropping it when I hear Sokka's voice.

"I apologize for my tardiness," Sokka says and I hear the seat beside me scrap the floor once and then again as Sokka pull's his chair in.

"It's quite alright," my father says much to my surprise, I feel my mouth fall open, my tea nearly spilling out.

"Toph dear it is not lady like to open your mouth so wide," my mother says with a laugh, I close my mouth and swallow my tea, giving my mom a smile when it's gone.

"Now that you are here Sokka, I wanted to introduce you to Tue," my father says and the two men apparently shake hands, I wouldn't know I couldn't see it.

"Pleasure to meet you sir," Sokka says and I just sit wondering what this was even about, who was this mysterious Tue guy?

"I heard from Tao here that you both currently live in the Republic City, I've heard great things about it," the man says and I begin to understand, well just a little bit.

"Tue has recently been nominated to become the councilman for the Earth Kingdom," my father says and I wonder if Tue is blushing.

"Wow that is a very big honor," Sokka says like it really is a huge honor, "I want to one day be on the council I think it would be an amazing opportunity," if I could see Sokka I would probably be gapping at him right now, I thought he wanted to be on the police force with me?

"I'm sure one day Toph here will be able to help you myself as well," Tue says and we just continue the rest of the breakfast in silence.

"So Toph," I hear a voice come up beside me, it takes me a moment before I realize its Sokka.

"So Sokka," I say back to him putting down the rock I had just lifted and walk towards his voice, "what have you come to tell me?"

"Nothing just wanted to see what you were up to," he says sitting on the ground, I can tell because the vibrations under my feet.

"Just playing with my rocks," I say lifting one into the air and throwing it towards what I believe was a tree, I hear the rock hit and fall to the ground, "except there was something I really wanted to do…" my voice trails off as I began to walk away, I feel Sokka scurry behind me.

"And that is?" he says coming behind me, I begin to run and I can feel and hear him chase after me, "Toph slow down!"

I don't listen to him I continue to run until I eventually stop, "are we at the gate?" I ask Sokka stopping.

Panting behind me he replies, "yeah," I reach out and touch, yup there was the fence.

"Great we have to get under it," I reply beginning to move the earth, I wait for Sokka to protest.

"Why?" he asks I can hear the hesitation in his voice but I ignore it going underneath the fence.

"You'll see," is all I say before going completely under and away from him.

"So where are we going?" Sokka asks me, as we walk, I don't say anything to him at first my hearts to busy jumping.

"You'll see when we get there," I finally say before running once again, I was able to feel the cave, it was getting closer.

"So we are at a cave…why?" Sokka asks but instead of answering him I began to go into the cave, he would follow me anyway so why answer?

We walk in silence and I began to become anise, they were going to be here the badger moles I was going to be with them again except…I wasn't.

"Toph this cave…it's empty," Sokka says touching my shoulder, I shrug him off not believing him.

"No they're here, they have to be," I say panicking, I began to run when I suddenly stop, I couldn't feel them, he was right this cave was empty.

"Toph are you okay?" Sokka asks me and I feel like crying, but I just keep my feelings at bay.

"Yeah I am fine just disappointed... again," I tell him walking back towards the direction we came in, "lets just…go back home to that stupid party."

"Well the party isn't for awhile, how about we do some training?" Sokka says and I smile, what a great stress reliever.

"Let's do it."


End file.
